You Had Me At 'Hi'
by missbee19
Summary: A fan fiction about Nick Buchanan & Jennifer Mapplethorpe. Begins with Jen bumping into Nick at Matt & Emma's then it goes into them working undercover again  in a scenario I've invented . It includes Jen's thoughts where she Channels Nina from Offspring.
1. Chapter 1: Pleased To Meet You Again

**Chapter 1: Pleased to meet you… again.**

"Hi".

Jennifer Mapplethorpe almost fell head over heels as she saw whose voice had spoken the word, its warm welcoming tone exactly as she remembered it. She stood transfixed on the spot for a moment, gathering her thoughts which were travelling at an intense and mind splitting pace; a feeling of light headedness slowly setting in. _Say something, Jen_, bellowed the voice in her head puncturing the commotion; it was all she could decipher from the haphazard mess that was her present system of thought.

"Hi" accompanied by a tiny, but genuine, smile was all she could manage right at that moment. _How creative!_ She thought while gradually her headspace began to shift back to its usual intelligent, highly capable and, most importantly, functioning self.

"Jen, have you met Nick?" Emma's voice was a little distant as she hadn't entirely made her way into the kitchen where Nick and Jennifer were awkwardly facing one another, unsure of what to say or do next. Emma had been in the lounge room of the house she shared with her partner Matt. This get together the two of them were hosting was to celebrate Jen's return from a counter-terrorism operation. Jen had obliged without even thinking twice; excited at the prospect of spending time with her beloved "musketeers", and she didn't have anything against Emma, nothing that she could think of at this minute anyway.

"No", replied Jen, a little more hurriedly than she had intended to and hoping she had managed to pull off a convincing tone of voice as the word came soaring out.

"Jennifer Mapplethorpe". Jen's obvious choice of words were spoken with such falsity that she could hardly believe they'd come from her own mouth. She gripped Nick's hand tightly and shook it, trying to make it seem as though this were a hand that had never been offered to her in handshake let alone one which had once been entwined with hers, stroked her cheek even…

"Nick Buchanan". How she loved his voice, she knew it all too well but thought she'd never be fortunate enough to hear it again. Deep down there was always a flicker of hope that it would one day return and speak to her; that _he_ would one day return.


	2. Chapter 2: Newsflash

**Chapter 2: Newsflash**

Jen woke to a rainy and miserable Monday morning, hoping that the party at Matt and Emma's wasn't a sign of what was to come at work that morning and that she'd at least be able to focus on whatever case Homicide threw at her and the others. She made herself breakfast and coffee, fed Jerry who had been brushing against her legs as soon as she'd appeared in the hall, and went outside to fetch the newspaper. As she made her way back up the footpath towards her front door glancing briefly at the front page of the paper, which contained nothing out of the ordinary, Jen flicked to the next double spread where a small, seemingly unimportant, article down the left hand side of page 3 shouted at her. She almost tripped up her front steps out of shock but managed to regather her balance by grabbing the rail alongside the stairs for support, still immersed in the tiny article which she was now dissecting for the third time.

As she drove to work, Jen couldn't help but wonder if Nick had already read the paper, whether he too had almost tripped over upon reading it like she had. _Who am I kidding_, she thought, _of course he'd have read the paper!_ Though she doubted he would have been stupid enough to trip up three measly porch steps. The Homicide building was almost in sight and she tried not to think about the private conversation the two of them would need to have sooner rather than later, her car's windscreen wipers working tirelessly as the rain got heavier and heavier, relentless and darkening Jen's already grey mood.

Pulling into her usual parking spot, Jen grabbed her handbag from the passenger seat, got out of the car and locked the doors with the central locking contraption. Making her way toward the lift she began creating possible conversations in her mind, wondering what on Earth it was she would say to him. She pushed the up button and waited for the lift to arrive, her heart feeling as though it would pound out of her chest at any moment. _Compose yourself, Jen_, she thought trying to calm herself down. _You're acting like a teenager about to ask out a boy for the first time for crying out loud!_

"Jennifer".

Nick's voice, which had spoken her name as he strolled up behind her, startled her and she jumped with fright.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you".

"No, it's okay, just having one of those mornings".

"I take it you've read page 3 of today's paper?"

"Yeah, that article happens to be the reason I'm having one of those mornings, actually".

"I know what you mean, was a bit of an unpleasant surprise for me too'.

"You reckon we'll be getting a call from the lovely people of SIS anytime soon?"

"Yeah, I reckon we might even be lucky enough to have them pop in for a cup of tea".


	3. Chapter 3: Facing Facts

**Chapter 3: Facing facts**

Nick and Jen emerged from the lift and into the Homicide department, acting as though they were two colleagues who had just shared a lift together- simple as that. But unfortunately, it wasn't that black and white; there was much more to their relationship than meets the eye, even if they were determined to make it seem otherwise.

As Jen headed toward her desk, Senior Sergeant Stanley Wolfe made his way towards her and the others who were all sitting at their workstations, waiting to be made aware of the day's case.

"Hi everyone, I thought I'd take this opportunity to welcome Detective Mapplethorpe back to Homicide; it's great to have you back, detective".

"It's great to be back, Serge", replied Jen with a smile. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Nick grinning at her and quickly looked down at her desk, picking up the nearest pen in sight and proceeding to fiddle with it. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with Detective Buchanan grinning at her, heck, she'd be happy to have him grin at her all day; she just couldn't risk the others picking up on anything suss.

"And while I've got everyone's attention, I'd also like to officially welcome Detective Buchanan to the team. Nick, I'm assuming you'd have met Jennifer by now?"

"Yes, serge, I have".

"Good, now let's get started on today's case.

That day's case turned out to be one of those Homicides that involved a tonne of work but generated not a lot in return for Homicide to work with. Jen was glad when everyone was dismissed for lunch at midday due to lack of concrete evidence to go on. She headed out of the building with the others, leaving them outside the automatic glass doors to make her way toward her favourite café near Federation Square. It had stopped raining outside now- a sign of brighter things to come perhaps, Jen thought. _Ha, as if Mapplethorpe, in your Nick-filled dreams._ Just as Café 9 was almost in sight a little tap on the shoulder made her turn around, slightly alarmed.

"Oh, Nick, it's just you".

"Gee, thanks, way to make a guy feel special!"

"Haha, you know what I mean. For all I knew you could have been an SIS representative! I keep half expecting to be tapped on the shoulder or whisked away by force".

"Well, I bet you're glad it's just me then!"

"Yeah, when you put it like that, I guess I am!"

"Heading to Café 9 were you?"

"Yeah, fancy a bite to eat?"

"Sure."

Jen headed for a table towards the back of the roomy Café, one that was virtually impossible for passers by to catch a glimpse of. They made themselves comfortable and ordered foccaccias and coffee. Jen, spotting a copy of the Herald Sun on a neighbouring table, picked up the newspaper and opened it to that ill-fated third page, dread pulsing through her as the gruesome reality it entailed suddenly became crystal clear.

She began to read the article out loud in barely more than a whisper. _No point pretending this is someone's idea of a bad joke_, she thought, as she began to utter the words that had been floating around her head willy-nilly all morning:

"The bodies of Carlton couple Lisa and Paul Gregg were found severely mutilated in an abandoned warehouse in Kew late last night. It is believed the couple were murdered some time earlier before being wrapped in plastic and dumped in the derelict warehouse, not far from the suburb's city centre. The bodies were discovered by security guards from a neighbouring property, with no further witnesses believed to have come forward. Police say the couple appear to be random targets of a dangerous person, or persons, who at this are stage unknown to police. Mr and Mrs Gregg leave behind two young children aged 11 and 8, who are currently under close police watch for safety reasons. Police are treating their murders as suspicious and encourage all individuals in the area where their bodies were located to take extreme care, reporting anything they believe is of detriment to themselves or other members of the community to police".

"It's so typical of the SIS to allow a pathetic little piece like this to be printed isn't it?" Jen inquired, as she placed the newspaper on the table, glad the story didn't go any further.

"Yes, though they could hardly allow the truth to be made public knowledge could they?"

"No, of course not, it's just appalling that they can dish out a load of outright lies to the public when the so called "person or persons unknown" are actually heartless killers, who could very well make just about anyone their next victim."

"Do you really think our killers are interested in anyone but the Gregg family right now? It's not like they're about to ditch them to go after an unsuspecting neighbourhood postie".

"Ha, who knows, cold-blooded killers aren't usually the easiest people to predict".

"You can say that again".

"So, what do you make of all this anyway?"

"Not much, like you said, most of it's lies and they don't exactly give too much away about how they were murdered do they?"

"No, I meant what do you think is going to happen with the Gregg kids, it's not like they can remain under lock and key down at the police station forever, is it?"

"They'll have to be relocated to a foster home where they can be properly monitored and cared for in a family environment".

"They wouldn't be safe with the prime minister's family, let alone a foster one, you should know that by now! They'll need new identities and a permanent and secure environment. Family unfortunately comes second in this predicament. Besides, they've just lost the two most important members of their family".

"There's not much we can do, it'll be up to SIS to decide what happens to them now, I guess".

As Nick and Jen finished their lunches and continued to discuss the article on page 3, SIS had just decided the fates of the two recently orphaned young Gregg children. They were already on their way to Café 9 to pick the two of them up, having been kept up to date on the detectives' whereabouts by undercover cops who had been tailing them since they exited the Homicide building.


	4. Chapter 4: Operation: Parenthood

**Chapter 4: Operation: Parenthood**

Nick and Jen had just embarked on a calming walk back to work, the sun beginning to appear from behind the slowly retreating storm clouds; life was normal- for now.

"Don't look now, but there's a dark car approaching us. I've had my eye on it since we left the café; it's definitely been following us" Nick alerted Jen, who was walking beside him closest to the curb.

"This is the one time I'll ever want the SIS to be stalking me in a dark coloured vehicle. Do you think it is someone from the SIS?"

"Yeah, I do".

"How can you be so sure?"

"If we were being followed by a serial killer, I'd have had no clue whatsoever that a car was following us right now. Only the SIS is stupid enough to be about as subtle as a sledge hammer".

As they rounded a corner leading into a secluded alleyway the dark car came to a halt beside them, a rear door opening, inviting them to hop into the back seat. Figuring they didn't have a choice in the matter the two detectives climbed into the car, Nick pulling the door shut behind them. In the back seat they were greeted by someone they knew all too well, unfortunately not by choice. Adam Cameron had been in charge the last time they had worked undercover for the SIS and they had come to learn that he was not someone to mess with, no matter how unorthodox his methods seemed.

"Detectives, we meet again".

_Hurrah_, thought Jen.

"Spare us the small talk, Cameron, what do you want with us?" Nick burst out angrily.

"Well, if that's the way you want to go about it, Detective Buchanan, I'll get straight to the point shall I?"

"Please do" Nick's tone of voice suggested a demand rather than a request.

_Boy, he's sexy when he's angry_, came Jen's voice of reason.

"Given the situation at hand- I'm sure you're both aware of the events which have transpired- you're required to go back undercover to help us catch our criminal friends, Mark and Eliza Jenkins. We also require you to keep a close eye on the Gregg children who are looking more and more like the next targets of the Jenkins".

"How are we meant to look after the Gregg children if we're supposed to be helping you lot catch their parents' killers?" Wondered Jen aloud.

"You'll both be assuming the role of parents to young Ben and Morgan Gregg. We will be setting the four of you up in a house on the outskirts of Melbourne, where some of our people will be monitoring your safety from nearby as well as via security camera footage which the house is equipped with".

"You're making this sound as though it's already set in stone and that we have no choice but to go along with it and play happy families!" An outraged Jen couldn't keep quiet on the matter any longer. _They're asking me to play mummies and daddies with Nick Buchanan! Wait… why am I angry again? Maybe it won't be all packing lunches and helping with homework. The sun does set in the evening after all. We'll have to sleep some time or another. Maybe I should ask whether we get separate beds. Jen! There are two kids' lives at stake here and all you can think about is whether you and Nick will be sleeping together- get a grip woman!_

"That's because it is, Detective Mapplethorpe. The two of you will be taken to join the children first thing tomorrow morning. Here are some facts you should know by heart", he said as he handed them each a manila folder that was almost bursting at the seams, "you are not to inform anyone other than those in your Homicide department of anything relating to this matter, this is not just for the safety of the Gregg children but also for your own well beings- good day to you both".

And at that Jennifer and Nick got out of the car and stood looking slightly dumbfounded in the deserted alleyway. _Boy is Homicide in for a shock_ was all Jen could think at a time like this.


	5. Chapter 5: The promise

**Chapter 5: The promise.**

Nick and Jennifer emerged from the lifts and into the Homicide department together, though right now they felt very much alone. Neither one of them knew how they would break the news to their colleagues; how they were going to up and go and leave all this behind. After all, they weren't just leaving their jobs; they were leaving their very own lives- their identities.

Jennifer headed for a deserted corridor, beckoning Nick to follow her, anxious and eager to get their secret out into the open.

"In here, quick", she uttered quietly, just in case somebody were to overhear and catch them at their game of Chinese whispers.

"Shouldn't we be out there letting everyone know that as of tomorrow we're not Nick Buchanan and Jennifer Mapplethorpe, we're"- Nick opened his information laden folder, pulling out a piece of paper which he began perusing hastily, when he finally found what he was looking for- "Austin and Rachael Greenwood!"

_Austin... hmmm, dreamy- very dreamy!_

"Well, go on, say it!" Nick spoke the words in defeat expecting a smart remark from Jen, one which poked fun at the fact that he had to refer to an SIS officiated piece of paper for his own name. Jen, however, was so immersed in deep thought of herself, Rachael Greenwood and her husband, _Austin_ Greenwood, cooped up in a shoebox of a house happily raising their two children, that if an atomic bomb had exploded at that second she would at least have died thinking pleasant thoughts.

"Jen, you just missed the perfect opportunity for a well executed comeback- it's very unlike you!"

"Sorry... let my mind wander for a second". _A second, ha, more like an eternity! Someone get the men in white coats- this girl's got it bad!_

"Now that I've got your undivided attention are you going to tell me why we're here instead of making the others aware of this unholy mess?" Nick didn't mean to sound impatient and slightly abrupt but he just wanted to get on with it, no matter how hard it might prove to be.

"This mess isn't something we can just blurt out without thinking everything through first. I mean it's not exactly like we can just tell them we're required to go undercover, that we've been plucked out of nowhere as the best people for the job. Don't you think they'll wonder 'why them'? Why Nick and Jennifer of all people?"

"Yeah, you're right, I wasn't thinking straight. We'll have to tell them about the last time, won't we?"

"Exactly and there are some things from last time that I'm not prepared to make public knowledge right now, or probably not ever, come to think of it. There are some things they just can't find out, Nick. Promise me that you won't say anything about-

"Jen, you know I wouldn't. That's between us- you and me, no one else".

Jen smiled to show her gratitude, she really did appreciate how much he understood her request; she was glad that a mutual understanding still remained between them since they'd been apart for all this time.

Nick had truly meant what he'd said with all his heart. He didn't even have to think twice about making the promise. He and Jen went through so much last time they'd gone undercover, not just professionally with the case but also personally between the two of them. When they lost their identities the first time, they lost so much more than just their names...


	6. Chapter 6: Out in the open

**Chapter 6: Out in the open.**

Nick and Jennifer's Homicide colleagues and bosses were all staring at the pictures of suspects tacked on the whiteboard in front of them, observing the notes and arrows that were scrawled with them, blank looks on their faces, when the pair entered the room to give their "explanatory farewell speech".

"Ah, detectives, now that you're here I guess we can get back to this case which surprisingly enough isn't coming along a whole lot better than it was before we retired to lunch". Superintendent Bernice Waverley had spoken this sounding rather fed up, yet not entirely unhappy, a sign that she was in a good mood.

_Allie hasn't had a chance to put a toe out of line today, _thought Jen. _Either that or she's found herself a…Nah who am I kidding, she lives with Rhys! If she'd have met someone I'm sure we'd all have heard about it from Oxford himself!_

"Even still detectives, you could at least pretend to look interested". Waverley could sense something was up with the detectives and she tried not to make it evident by saying "Taking a seat would be a start".

"Sorry Ma'am" piped up Jen, at last deciding she should say something.

_It's now or never, just get it over and done with Jennifer. _"It's just that... there's something extremely important Detective Buchanan and I need to inform you all of", Jen said shakily, trying to retain her composure.

"Sounds ominous, detective Mapplethorpe, is everything okay?" Waverly inquired, a slight hint of worry apparent in her tone of voice.

"Everything's fine, it's just that something's come up involving the two of us and, unfortunately, we won't be able to continue with our involvement in this case". The words came tumbling out of Jen's mouth, spoken so rapidly and without thinking. Thankfully the words that left her mouth next had been thought over before spoken aloud, at a speed that allowed her mind to keep up with the functioning of her brain. "We've been asked undercover by the SIS who we've both worked for together in the past, a couple of years before I joined Homicide. They need us to assume new identities to help them obtain information regarding an operation they've recently set up. We're not exactly sure how long we'll be needed, it could be weeks or months, who knows". Jen stopped speaking at these words; she didn't think she could go on with the revelation any longer and looked at Nick, into his eyes that usually caused her immeasurable content whenever she looked at him, pleading silently for him to finish explaining to the others what she could not.

Nick answered the request, much to Jen's relief. He spoke with noticeably more confidence than she had moments earlier, though his voice was very different to the one she was used to; the one that made her unexplainably happy, made her feel safe. "SIS representatives approached us both as we were on our way back to the office from lunch. They've made it pretty clear that we don't have much choice but to agree to what they're asking of us".

"You must know something about what you're facing though; I mean they wouldn't have asked you to go undercover for them if you didn't already have some involvement with this so-called 'operation'. Otherwise they could have elected anyone for the job" Bernice Waverly had just stated what Jen feared one of their colleagues might, so she thought she'd better be the one to respond.

"Yes, ma'am, we have a general idea of what will be required of us. I mean, we know enough to have a pretty good guess at what they need us for from the tiny pieces of information we _do_ know. We'll no doubt be involved with some of the people we became acquainted with the last time we assumed new identities. This time we've been given totally different identities so that's got to mean something as well. They've given us files with some background information in them that they want us to familiarise ourselves with by heart, but we both decided not to read them before telling you guys, that way we're not tempted, or even able, to let anything slip". Jen couldn't believe she'd done it, but she had, she'd managed to say what she'd intended to, even if she didn't exactly want this to soon turn into goodbye.

The moments that followed their newly out in the open bombshell proved to be a starter for some extensive conversation. Wolfe and Waverley had to leave the office for the day when something important came up involving the two of them, so they said their goodbyes to Nick and an almost teary Jen before wishing them both well. By now, everyone who remained in the room had at one point or another put in their two cents worth and probed them both with highly varying questions, everyone except Sergeant Matt Ryan that is. It was Jen who noticed that Matt had remained awfully quiet the entire time since their announcement and as Nick was busy explaining something to Duncan, Rhys and Allie, she noticed him sneaking out the door while the others all had their backs turned. Not wanting to make it seem obvious she was going after him, she waited until he'd been gone a few minutes before telling the others she needed to duck out for a second.


	7. Chapter 7: The Hardest of Goodbyes

**Chapter 7: The hardest of goodbyes.**

Jen found Matt at his desk, looking as though he was trying to busy himself in some paperwork that had built up in his tray. "It's waited this long, why the sudden rush to make it disappear?" she asked, trying to sound cheerful, as she pulled up a chair from a nearby desk and took a seat next to him.

"Am I that bad at faking productiveness?" Matt's voice indicated that he was making an effort to sound normal, though there was a hint of irregularity which Jen couldn't help noticing.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so, sergeant" Jen shot back jokingly, not looking forward to the awkwardness of the situation that she could feel coming on. "Is everything okay, Matty? It's just that you left without saying a word and I don't even remember you saying anything since we broke the news about you-know-what. Everyone else couldn't pipe down; I mean Rhys was coming out with questions like he had ants in his pants! And Allie would've given him a run for his money if Dunny'd let her get a word in edgeways! What's up? Don't tell me you're in absolute shock at the fact I'm leaving for a bit and you don't know what you're going to do without me! Once I've been away for a couple of weeks, I'll come back and you'll be wondering who the hell I am and how you could have ever missed someone like me!" Jen hoped this would get Matt to open up a bit about what was bothering him. She knew deep down it was partly because he'd miss her. At that moment the time he'd asked her out after work, the very same day he'd accidentally seen her half naked while feeding the cat, popped into her head and even though she knew the two things were entirely unrelated she couldn't help but wonder…

_He'd looked at me funny all day- when he could look me straight in the face! I thought he just had something on his mind, it didn't occur to me this something was my very own backside!_

It was moments like these she'd shared with Matt that made the tension that had risen between them since his promotion to sergeant hard for her to come to terms with. It just dawned on her that she was really going to miss Matt; saying farewell to him was going to be the hardest of all the goodbyes she had ahead of her.

Matt finally broke the silence that had lingered while Jen had remembered a moment between them which he had thought about a lot more than she would have expected since it had happened. "That's just it, Jen; I am going to really miss you. I've never worked with someone quite like you before. It's just going to be so strange without you around". At these words, Jen felt tiny tears beginning to form even though the actual teardrops themselves hadn't yet appeared in her serene green eyes.

As he continued, she tried with all her inner strength to hold them back a little longer, for she knew eventually that they would run down her face and cause her cheeks to glisten. "It seems as though you've only just returned from counter-terrorism and now this. I know things have been hard since I became sergeant, but not one argument or disagreement that we've had has made me even contemplate ever wanting you to leave". Jen knew exactly how Matt felt as his words trailed off and he avoided eye contact with her for a few moments. When he looked up at her she decided it was time for her to assure him of something extremely important to her, before then saying goodbye to a very dear friend.

"Matt, I know exactly what you mean, things have been a little complicated at work for us lately- for the whole team in fact- but it hasn't really changed anything between us. I mean we'll always be friends, one half of the 4 musketeers! This is hard for me too, having to leave you guys behind, who knows what Nick and I are going to face while we're gone". Jen had to hurry this along a bit, the tears had arrived and soon she wouldn't be able to turn of the waterworks. "I'm gonna really miss you, Matty!" She said half in tears, half in a whisper, reaching out give him a big friendly hug which she really needed right now. Tears streamed down her face and she was sure some had even managed to fall on his soft-textured black suit.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Jen" Matt said back in barely more than a whisper, just loud enough for Jen to hear it.

Right after Jen and Matt had pulled out of their hug, Nick and the others had walked in, their fierce discussion in front of the whiteboard had obviously come to an end.

"Ready to get this over and done with, Jen?" Nick asked in as confident a voice as he could manage.

"Yeah, I guess so, it's now or never" She responded hoping the tears had all dried up.

_How on Earth do I say goodbye to this lovely bunch of people? Thank goodness sex on legs here is coming with me!_

"I'm not really the best with goodbyes, so I'd just like to say that it's been wonderful working with you all and I'm going to miss each of you so much. Hopefully we'll be back real soon!" Jen hoped she'd come across as sincere, she really had meant every word she'd just spoken.

"Oh Jen, it's been great working with you, too. I'm sure you'll be back soon enough, although you mightn't want to return once you realise how great it is not having to spend so much time with Rhys and Duncan! Allie gave Jen a small cuddle, she was going to have a lot of fun as the only girl, Jen could tell! Allie had been successful in trying to turn a gloomy situation into one which made Jen smile as it had plastered a grin on her face, however brief it happened to be.

"Don't listen to her, Jen; she doesn't know what she's saying. You know you'll miss my highly intelligent thoughts and ability to solve just about any case!" Rhys couldn't help himself as he gave Jen a hug, one that she wasn't expecting but appreciated nonetheless.

"Yeah, Rhys is right, don't listen to Allie; you're going to miss us, as well as everything about homicide, especially me!" Duncan too gave Jen a hug and she couldn't feel more thankful than she did right at that moment.

"Hey Matty, where's your hug for Jen?" Allie chimed at Matt who was sitting on the edge of a nearby desk, looking on silently.

"Yeah Matty, where's my hug?" Jen said cheekily, not wanting to make it seem as though they had already said their goodbyes privately.

"Good luck, Jen" Matt said as he put his arms around her in a warm bear hug.

"Thanks, Matt". Jen was somewhat lost for words, she didn't think saying goodbye for a second time would be so hard, but it was.

It was now Nick's turn to talk and it seemed he wasn't all that fond of saying goodbye either.

"I think I'll be short and sweet with this. Like Jen said it's been an honour working with you guys and while I'm sure this isn't the last time we'll see it each other, I'd like to wish you all the best and let you know that I'm gonna miss seeing your lovely happy faces every day. Yes, even you Rhys!" Nick's goodbye was effective in allowing everyone to share a laugh; it was a rather beautiful moment at a time like this.

After the boys had stepped forward and said goodbye and Allie had given Nick a little hug, Jen and Nick gave their friends from Homicide a few last words and one final wave goodbye as they turned and headed for the elevator. Not long after Nick had hit the down button the doors opened and they stepped inside, turning to face the others one final time. They saw them wave and waved and smiled back as the doors made their way towards each other before closing with a thud. Homicide was now completely out of sight.


	8. Chapter 8: Undercover

**Chapter 8: Undercover**

It was a chilly morning in Melbourne's outskirts as Jen and Nick stepped out of the dark car of the SIS which had driven them to what would be their home, for god only knew how long. As Jen pushed the door shut behind her she took one last glance into the world that was her present and which also contained her past, before turning to the simple one-storey brick veneer home which held the mysteries of her clouded future. Nick must have sensed her apprehension as he turned to face her, a reassuring smile spreading across his face, and suddenly she felt as though she had the power to take on anything; whatever the task that lie ahead of them threw their way Jennifer Mapplethorpe was ready; as long as Nick Buchanan were by her side everything would pan out okay.

_That smile on his is a force to be reckoned with! Well, if the kids muck up he can flash it to get them to behave, I guess. That's how powerful an effect it has on me; I don't know how I've survived after the countless times he's grinned at me. __I just hope my smile is at least half as beautiful in reply…_

As the smile faded from Nick's lips Jen lowered the arm which had been clutching at her bag, her hand floating aimlessly beside her, beginning to shake ever so slightly as it lingered a heartbeat from his. Reaching with an air of uncertainty for Nick's hand and entwining her delicate fingers between his, she gripped it tightly to which he responded, the warmth of his palm running through her veins like electricity. Looking straight ahead Jen and Nick put one foot in front of the other, their feet barely making a sound as they swept the stencil-patterned driveway, making the transformation from homicide detectives to parents.

_Enter Austin and Rachael Greenwood_, was Jen's first thought as she's stepped into her new role as wife and mum. In an instant the thought had faded into the black hole in the back of her mind. This was the starting point of all starting points- _No turning back now_. _I guess we're officially undercover. It's just Mr sexy and me. Oh and the kids, can't forget them!_


	9. Chapter 9: Introductions and Assurances

**Chapter 9: Introductions and Assurances**

Nick and Jen walked over the threshold and in through the front door of what was now 'home sweet home'. As Nick wheeled their suitcases into the lounge room at the front of the house, Jen proceeded into the Kitchen where two young children were sitting on stools at a marble-topped kitchen bench. The eldest of the two, the boy, who Jen knew must be Ben, turned to face her with a searching and timid look plastered on his face. The little girl next to him did the same; she looked so frightened at the sight of Jen and clung nervously to her big brother's arm.

"Hi, you must be Ben", Jen said in the most welcoming and warm voice she could muster. "I'm… J-Rachael" she then said, almost going to say Jennifer before remembering that she'd left that name behind as soon as she had laid eyes on the house in which she now stood.

"Yeah, I am, and this is my little sister, Morgan. Morgan's eyes shifted their glance from Jen to her brother's arm, where her hand was now holding on for dear life. "I thought there was supposed to be a man coming to look after us too". Ben's statement was more a question as his eyes were focused solely on the hallway through which Jen had just entered the room.

Seconds later Nick made his way into the kitchen stopping at Jen's side and giving Ben an answer to his implied question, having heard him speak from the lounge room. "You're right, Ben, that'd be me. I'm Austin and I'll be helping Rachael look after the two of you. I promise we won't bite, guys. You don't bite, do you Rachael?"

"Absolutely not, Austin, but I can get a bit scary if there's no ice-cream. In fact…" Jennifer said as she headed for the stainless steel upside-down fridge. "I feel like some right now. How about you guys, would you like some… cookies and cream?" She said as she spotted a tub and lifted it out.

Ben stayed silent; he obviously hadn't expected Jen to bring up ice-cream of all things. He still had so many questions to ask her, to ask them both, about what was going to happen now that they were there with them, now that they were going to be their new mum and dad.

"Yes, please". Morgan's voice was so soft and much more childlike than Jen would have expected, even though she was of such small stature. Jen definitely hadn't expected her to be the one to reply; she thought they'd both think she was hopeless at trying to lighten the mood and stay as silent and still as ever.

"Then it's cookies and cream ice-cream coming right up, Morgan". Jen replied happily, glad that her attempt to gain the children's trust had at least worked on one of them. She knew that Ben wasn't going to be convinced as easily by an offer of ice-cream. Jen located the ice-cream scoop in the second drawer and scooped some ice-cream into a bowl for Morgan.

"Is there any chocolate topping or sprinkles?" Morgan inquired; she'd turned around on the stool to face Jen as soon as she had started preparing the ice-cream.

"Ummm", said Jen, as she headed for the fridge again and opened the door, searching for some chocolate topping. "Yes, here it is" she told Morgan, as she spotted it and grabbed it, turning to pour a little on Morgan's ice-cream.

"More please" said Morgan as soon as Jen had stopped pouring, even though the ice-cream was almost covered in chocolate topping as it was.

"Morgan, stop being such an annoying pig" Ben said as he finally spoke again, annoyed at his sister for worrying about ice-cream at a time like this.

"I am not an annoying pig, Ben!" Morgan argued back as she turned away from her bowl of ice-cream to look at him, poking her tongue out. She then turned her focus back to Jen with a hopeful look on her face, "Can I have some more topping please, Rachael?" She repeated with a tiny grin on her face for extra bargaining power.

Jen thought the grin was a very nice try, but all the same she replied "I think you've got enough there already, Morgan. Plus, you wouldn't want to spoil your appetite for lunch anyway. Austin's a great cook; Im sure he'll make us all something delicious to eat. Won't you, Austin?"

"Yeah I'd love to. But first I'd like to answer your questions, Ben, I'm sure there must be some things you'd like to know". Nick thought he'd better show Ben that he cared about providing him with answers just as much as Jen cared about getting Morgan her ice-cream.

"Yeah, there are. Like how long are you guys going to be looking after us for? And why do we need to have detectives looking after us? When my friend Jack's parents died he was sent to live with a foster family. Why didn't that happen to us too?" After blurting all that out in one go, Ben stared at Nick and waited eagerly for all his answers to come.

"I'm not sure how long Rachael and I are going to be looking after you for, it'll depend on how long we're needed to keep you guys safe. You need to understand that this isn't a normal situation you two are in; it's not as simple as just sending you both to live in a foster home. Your friend Jack was placed in a foster family because it was certain he'd be safe there. You guys are here with us for the same reason- we can make sure you're safe".

Ben considered Nick's words for a moment. He looked down at his feet, deep in thought and wondering what to say or do next. When he spoke it was to speak just one word, another question implied, which he spoke nervously. "Promise?"

"Promise". Nick replied simply but surely; he was determined to do anything it took to make sure Ben and Morgan remained safe.

"I promise too", echoed Jen in just as sincere a tone as Nick, which made Morgan look up from her ice-cream at her and smile.

Upon hearing their promises, Ben smiled at Nick, telling him "Thank-you". He then turned to face Jen saying "Thanks Rachael, can I have some ice-cream as well? Cookies and cream is my favourite".

Morgan giggled. "Now who's a pig, Ben?"


	10. Chapter 10: New House, New beginnings

**Chapter 10: New house, new beginnings.**

It was getting late and the sun had now set over the cosy house after what had been a long and busy day, spent laying foundations for a future in which nothing was certain. Jen was only just starting to get her head around the situation transpiring around her; she was sure it would take a while for her to feel as though this were her home, not just a place providing her with a roof over her head. Nick was much the same, although the only thing that was keeping him from going stir-crazy- even though they had only been there for a day- was Jen. Her company meant so much more to him than he knew she realised.

The events of the day that had just gone went as smoothly as the two of them could have expected. After they had first introduced themselves to Ben and Morgan, Jen and Nick helped the children settle in to their new family home, after all it was the first time they had set eyes on the place too. Jen accompanied Morgan to the smallest bedroom located to one side of the main hallway that stretched the length of the home, helping her unpack her clothes from her compact hot pink suitcase before folding them and setting them down in the wooden chest of drawers. Morgan remained quiet, leaving Jen wondering what had caused her to hold back after she had been so chatty just moments before when her and her brother were finishing their ice-cream.

"I meant what I said in the kitchen, when I made that promise, I'm going to make sure you and your brother are safe; I want to look after you. So that means you can talk to me about anything, absolutely anything, no matter how silly you think it might sound. I'll always be here for you. I know we won't be able to ever replace your mum and dad, that's not what Austin and I want to do, but we're going to do everything we can to try and look after you and if you ever need a friend we'd be happy to fill that role too". Jen searched Morgan's face, trying to determine whether or not she had taken in what she had just spoken to her. She couldn't help but wonder whether Morgan truly believed she could think of Jen as her friend; she wanted more than anything right now for Morgan to open up, to know that she felt comfortable in her presence.

"I know. I like you, Rachael, and I'm glad they've chosen you to look after us. Oh and Austin too; he seems nice. I could use a friend; Ben can be really annoying sometimes. All boys are annoying" She spoke these last words in a matter of fact tone as though expecting Jen to agree with her and proclaim that Nick annoyed the crap out of her too.

_Nick? Annoy the crap outta me? His voice, that gorgeous dreamy gaze, his body- perfectly toned with skin so soft and warm… _

Memories of his warmth overcoming her started flooding back- it was so long ago that she laid next to him; her head nestled in his shoulder as he stoked her arm.

_Snap out of it! If you can go from wanting to get your 'daughter' to open up to you to thoughts of a man you were involved with years ago in the space of a few minutes, how on Earth are you going to be able to share a bed with him and have nothing come of it? Get some self-control, Jennifer; I think you're going to need it! Oh shut up stupid conscience, _Jen thought, finally snapping out of her daydream, even though she had to admit it was a rather good one.

"Rachael, are you okay?" Morgan was confused, just a minute ago Rachael had been talking to her, encouraging her to speak up, assuring her that she could talk to her about anything whatsoever but now she'd gone all blank and silent.

"Sorry, I'm fine Morgan; I was just having a bit of a daydream. This is all new for me too, living in a strange house that I've never been in before; it's going to take a bit of getting used to." Jen thought she'd better change the subject before Morgan got suspicious and asked what it was she'd been daydreaming about. She had a feeling that this little girl standing before her, with long golden hair and light green eyes, was one very smart cookie.

Meanwhile, Nick was in the bedroom next door helping Ben unpack his suitcase, it was exactly the same as Morgan's only it was lime green. Ben wasn't really interested in making sure his clothes were put away neat and tidy, he left it to Nick who was grateful that whoever had packed the suitcase had also taken the liberty of folding every garment neatly. Nick wasn't one for folding, or ironing for that matter, but there was a time when his washing did get proper treatment, since then he'd forged a friendship with the local Laundromat.

Ben was intent on arranging all his belongings, displaying his footy trophies and putting up posters of his favourite AFL team, The Magpies. _A Magpies Supporter, eh?_ Thought Nick._ It looks like we have something in common._

"I see you're a Magpies fan, Ben, so am I." Nick was hoping this would be the start of a conversation; if he was supposed to be a father figure to Ben then he wanted to be a good one.

"Yeah, I am, who's your favourite player?" Ben asked excitedly. It seemed as though Nick had struck gold in terms of a conversation.

"That would have to be Dane Swan, although I don't know if I'm a huge fan of all his tattoos." Nick smiled as he spoke to Ben, feeling as though he could expect a lengthy reply from Ben in return.

"Swan's okay, but I like Pendlebury and Thomas best. I was so happy when they won the flag this year, I knew they would. I reckon they're going to win the premiership again next year, too. And when they do make the grand final I hope I get to go. I couldn't this year after everything that happened. It's okay for Morgan- she's a Saints supporter like our mum- but it was really devastating not being able to go to the game being a Pies supporter; I wish I could have gone with dad, he was a huge Pies fan.

"If it's any consolation, I didn't get to go to the game either. I didn't even get to watch the whole game on telly. But I bought the DVD, actually, I think I even brought it with me, maybe we could watch it together sometime?"

"That'd be awesome. Morgan was pretty annoying that day- she wouldn't be quiet- so it would be good to watch the game without her whinging in the background, especially with someone else who goes for Collingwood- even if they don't like Dane Swan's tats." Ben's eyes had lit up; he was really excited about having a fellow Magpies supporter in his midst.

_Things are looking okay, _Nick thought as he put the last of Ben's t-shirts away and pushed the drawer shut.


	11. Chapter 11:Temptation too hard to resist

**Chapter 11: Temptation too hard to resist.**

After the day's work had been done and Ben and Morgan were fast asleep in their rooms the 'newlyweds' headed towards their bedroom, completely drained and looking forward to turning in.

Jen got changed for bed in the en suite bathroom, ever so nervous about returning to the bedroom where Nick would be getting into bed- their bed.

_How will I be able to see him in only those boxers of his and just act as though it doesn't do anything for me? His bare chest will be oh so buff like it always has and I'll be right there to witness him in all his glory. This is going to be impossible! __Relax, Jen, it could be worse- it could be Jarvis out there instead and then you- uh, let's not go there shall we? The bottom line is: it's Nick- you just have to keep those feelings you've been bottling up lately under control right now._ By the way, good luck with that! Oh shut up! Jen's mind was in overdrive and she shuddered to think how it would handle what she had just plucked up the courage to do, as she had now taken the plunge and opened the door to the adjoining room. And there he was picture perfect in his shorts, his bare back in plain view, looking as comfortable as ever.

_I was wrong this isn't going to be impossible; it's going to be _breathtaking.

Nick turned around as soon as he noticed Jen had entered the room, the tiniest of smiles just visible on his face, his eyes full or adoration for her.

"What?" Jen burst out without thinking. By this stage instinct had taken over, she was so overcome by all the thoughts crashing around in her head that it hurt.

"You haven't changed a bit, Jen, you still look beautiful even in the daggiest of pyjamas. I always loved that about you". He smiled cheekily as he said it and she couldn't resist replying with-

"What that I have daggy PJs, thanks!" Jen knew what he meant; he'd just caught her by surprise when he'd called her beautiful- plain as day and right to her face. She loved that about him, he was always so open and honest with her, though sometimes there were things he'd said that she'd wished he hadn't, as they'd just complicated everything.

"No, that you're beautiful". As he repeated the words, he smiled, and this time he walked towards her, only stopping when he was so close that their foreheads were almost touching.

Jen could hardly breathe. Next thing she knew her hand was resting gently on his cheek, the warmth of his face hitting her like the eye of hurricane. As she took in every line, freckle and crease on his soft skin she looked him smack bang in the eyes, before he whispered-

"You know how I feel about you." The words, spoken in that voice she loved so much, were all too much for Jen.

She leaned in just that little bit closer, kissing him ever so softly before it turned into one of the most passionate kisses she'd ever shared with this man she'd once felt so completely in love with, and still did to this day.

As they broke apart, Jen decided it was time they talked; the topic couldn't be avoided any longer, it was eating her up inside like the coldest of winters. "Nick, I'm ready to talk about last time, about everything… about Lily."


	12. Chapter 12: An agonising past

**Chapter 12: An agonising past.**

Nick had to make sure Jen was certain she wanted to talk about what it was she'd just brought up. As far as conversations went it was something he didn't think she'd ever want to discuss with him; these were recently unchartered waters that held so much heartache. "You really sure you wanna go there? I mean, I'm ready if you are but I've gotta know for sure it's what you want". Nick sat down on the edge of the queen sized bed which prompted Jen to do the same. He placed his hand on top of hers where it rested on the quilt supporting her weight.

"Yeah, I'm sure. We can't go on avoiding it forever; there are some things that need to be said, that I need to say to help me move on properly. I've held everything back for so long it's driving me crazy." Jen took a deep breath in. She'd felt so alone when it came to the impending conversation she were to have with Nick as there wasn't a single person in Homicide that knew in the slightest what she'd been going through deep down for all this time.

An awkward silence lingered in the air for several moments; Nick didn't know how he could even begin this conversation or where it would lead them. He couldn't imagine how hard it was going to be for Jen, but he admired her more than she could ever know as she took the first terrifying step and began to talk about what happened all those years ago between the two of them. Though technically there were three living beings involved regardless of what precious little time they had together.

"You'd think after all these years it'd get easier, that time would've helped me to move on and to heal despite everything that happened, but it just hasn't." Jen paused for a moment, reflecting on what she'd just said, wondering whether she'd used the right words and if Nick had understood how she was feeling right at that moment. "Not a day goes by where I don't think about her, where I don't miss her or wish things had been different and wonder what might have been…"

"Me too, Jen. I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for you, I mean Lily meant so much to me, too, but you were the one who had to carry her inside you for all that time. You had to endure all that pain while all I could do was sit back and watch, pray that you'd both be okay. I couldn't have beared it if I'd lost you both, as selfish as it might sound- I'm glad I still have you". He looked into her eyes as he gripped her hand more tightly, wrapping his free arm around her waist and leaning his head against her shoulder. He wanted to be there for her; he knew it was taking every ounce of energy she had to say these words she had been holding back for so long.

"And I wish things could have been different for us too. Not only with Lily but with the two of us- I've missed having you around, Nick. Losing our little girl was one thing but it hurt just as much leaving you; I'll always regret walking out that door". Jen moved her hand out from under Nick's placing it on his thigh which allowed her to snuggle up closer to him on the edge of the bed. This time it was she who nestled her head up against his warm body, it had such a calming effect on her that for a moment she forgot all the pain that existed right then and there.

"I know, I've missed you too, Jen," Nick said as he stroked her arm with the hand that had rested on her waist. As he began to talk again Jen noticed how his tone of voice changed as he spoke. This was really tearing him up inside as well, it broke her heart to know that they hadn't been able to have this conversation so much earlier. He'd needed her and where had she been- stuck in Homicide! "After the accident when you were in hospital after you'd given birth to Lily, I didn't know what to say, I mean, how was anything I said going to change what happened? Nothing would ever be able to bring her back. I felt useless, like I'd let you down". He stopped speaking, Jen had turned to face him, a confused look on her face- she didn't blame him at all, she knew he'd done everything to support her after Lily had been born three months premature and pronounced still-born. She also knew that there was no way he could have prevented her being shot, he was nearly killed himself.

"You were amazing through it all. You did all you could under the circumstances and I feel so lucky to have had your support; it meant the world to me- _you_ meant the world to me. You still do…" Jen trailed off after she spoke these last words. It was a revelation she hadn't intended on letting him know about just yet but it just kind of spilled out before she could stop herself. She didn't want to become involved with him again, not while they where undercover, anyway, as that's when everything went so horribly wrong last time. It's not that the relationship they had was wrong- far from it- but she never should have succumbed to her feelings while they weren't supposed to be Nick and Jen. If they had waited maybe things would have been different; they might still be together. They'd never have lost Lily; instead they could've been parents right at this very moment. But now things were different and here they were back where they started- undercover, confessing their feelings for each other and wondering where it would all lead them next.

"I've never stopped loving you. I only let you go because I knew it was what you wanted and needed, and that we could never be the same after what happened with Lily." Before Nick continued he paused, looking like he needed to take a moment to get out what it was he needed to say next. "When we tried to start again and it wasn't working I wanted so desperately for us to try to make things work, I really did." He stared down at the carpet, he was at a loss for words, and he'd said all he could think of to say.

"Me too, I just needed time out, I wanted to forget it all and move on as hard as it was I had to take the job at Homicide and try to start afresh." Jen too needed a moment; she took a deep breath before saying in almost a whisper "I found out, a couple of months after I started, when I went to the doctors for a routine check-up, that I might never be able to have children." She was about to continue when Nick cut in.

"What, Jen, why didn't you say something?" Nick sounded shocked and genuinely upset at what he'd just heard her say.

"There was nothing you could have done, I didn't want to upset you again- we'd just lost a child, what difference would it have made anyway?" Jen couldn't hold back, the thought that she might never be a mum was something she rarely chose to think about, she broke into tears.

Nick held her as he tried to calm her down, saying "Shhh, Jen, it's okay, I'm here everything's going to be okay". She sobbed in his arms as he continued to hold her close and tight, he felt so strongly for her that he would do anything to make everything alright.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I should've but I needed to move on and try and live my life". She looked him in the eyes and he placed a hand both her cheeks, holding her face which was very shaky from the waterworks, so he could say-

"I understand, but I want you to know, you'll never have to face anything like that again. Let me be here for you". He kissed her softly for a moment before embracing her, as a silent tear streamed down his face before it landed on the bed- the bed where they slept in each others arms that night, as fake husband and fake wife.


	13. Chapter 13: Bliss is fleeting

**Chapter 13: Bliss is fleeting.**

Nick and Jen woke to the sound of Nick's mobile ringing loudly and shrilly from where it sat on the wooden bedside table. Nick lifted his arm off Jen where it had acted as a comfort blanket to her throughout the night; warding off the nightmares she had sometimes, nightmares of a lifeless Lily. He tried not to wake her as he rolled over to grab his phone but the sound of its ringing must have already roused her as she too turned over, eyes squinting open in the light from the only half-risen sun. A still groggy Nick answered the phone in a voice that must have screamed drowsiness, saying nothing after a meagre "yeah" and instead opting to listen to whoever had called and interrupted his state of peaceful bliss. The voice on the other end of the phone spoke swiftly and made little pauses in between the important pieces of information they expected Nick to now be up to speed with. When the voice had finally stopped relaying him details through the phone's earpiece, Nick pressed the 'end' button and hastily placed the phone back on the bedside table. All he wanted right now was to snuggle back into his lover's arms and stay there until the sun came up properly. It was a nice thought while it lasted but the fact of the matter was- something had come up, something which neither of them could afford to overlook.

"Who was that on the phone, darling? Wait, let me guess, I'd prefer not to know, wouldn't I?" Jen had gotten out from under the covers as she made the inquiry kneeling on the bed behind Nick who was sitting on its edge, face in his hands. She started to massage his neck before moving on to his shoulders, there was a lot of tension there and she wanted more than anything for him to tell her it wasn't present as a result of the recent phone call.

"You don't wanna know, but, unfortunately, you're going to need to hear it". Nick dreaded telling the woman he loved that their lives would soon be at risk, just like they were last time, but he couldn't put it off when it not only involved their well beings but also the livelihoods of the two young children who had been placed in their care. "That was our favourite person from SIS, the delightful Adam Cameron; he wanted to fill us in on something that has recently transpired". Nick sighed as he got up off the bed and started pacing alongside it, glancing at his reflection aimlessly in the mirror-door wardrobe. Jen made her way out of the bed too and proceeded to stand in front of Nick, looking into his eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck and leant her forehead gently against his. What he was about to reveal was made so much easier by her being there; the warmth of her skin on his was enough to make Adam Cameron seem like a vague and distant memory.

"What did he say?" Jen asked in a soft voice, curious to know what had happened to prompt the call but at the same time not too eager to hear any of it spoken aloud to her. She didn't wish to be informed of any event or dramatic occurrence which confirmed that the bleak future she shuddered to imagine had begun unfolding before them. She looked into Nick's eyes searching for an unspoken answer within them, but failed, instead waiting for his all important reply to come.

"The SIS has been keeping an eye on certain individuals and information pertaining to the murders of Paul and Lisa Gregg all over the UK, where they reportedly fled to. They've been tailing a good deal of their associates and accomplices, they've got representatives working over there pretty much everywhere they'd be useful and up until now they haven't had any breakthroughs which might lead them directly to the Jenkins's". Nick finished his statements with a concerned look on his face; the worst was yet to come and he had to somehow find the words to use in order to break it to her.

Jen knew that he was about to reveal the vital part of the situation, the bit that explained why they'd soon be in such grave and inescapable danger. Regardless of how dooming the revelation would sound, she didn't want him to hold any details back; she could handle whatever it was he was about to bombard her with and she wanted to let him know. "Don't worry, I can handle it. Nick, whatever it is that's ahead of us I need to know about it. After all we've been through together I'm sure we can handle just about anything, no matter how evil or sinister it might seem. Believe me I'm ready for this, I have to be ready for this!" As Jen finished she moved her arms from where they had rested around Nick's neck to run them through his hair in an attempt to get him to continue speaking. It seemed she had succeeded in relaxing him as he soon continued with what he needed her to hear, and in doing so, made certain her worst nightmare.

"Some SIS reps in London just got the big break everyone has been hoping they would for quite some time. Some associates of Mark and Eliza unknowingly revealed the current and future whereabouts of our favourite couple. Good news is they're nowhere near our present location. Bad news is they're headed our way.


	14. Chapter 14: Mother & Father figures

**Chapter 14: Mother & father figures.**

Jen's mind was racing after the news Nick has just relayed to her started to unravel, the ramifications of which were endless. Jen had a never ending number of questions floating around her head and she now faced the arduous task of deciding which of these deserved the honour of being spoken first. Before she had the chance to deliberate, let alone make a decision on the matter, there was a tiny knock on the bedroom door, followed by a persistent rapping when nobody had come to open it.

"Who is it?" Jen asked trying to make herself sound welcoming despite all the curiosity, dread and fear which had clouded her mind.

"It's me, Morgan, can I come in?" Morgan's tiny voice seemed unsure as to the outcome of the question she had just asked, but not at all shy; she sounded comfortable with asking the question Jen thought.

Jen was rather curious as to why Morgan had just knocked on her and Nick's bedroom door. She paused for a moment to clear her head of all the woes that now plagued her, tying the belt of her robe around her tightly and replying "Sure, Morgan, come in."

Nick, who had been brushing his teeth, exited the bathroom at the very same time Morgan had opened the door to their bedroom and proceeded to stand near the doorway- pyjama clad and turning to Jen with an inquiring look on her face. Nick greeted his 'daughter' with a warm "Good morning, kiddo", a big smile plastered on his face.

"Morning, Austin" Morgan smiled a tiny smile back at Nick before turning to Jen who finally asked-

"What is it, sweetie? Is everything okay?" Jen was stumped. She had no idea why Morgan had come to see her at this hour of the morning- _it's hardly time for school yet, is it?_ She thought.

_What time _do_ kids need to be at school these days, anyway? It'd be just my luck that we've slept in later than we should have and won't have time to get the kids ready for their first day at a brand new school! Is there a manual that explains the best way to get a child prepared for school? If there isn't there damn well should be! Something along the lines of "Schooling for Dummies" would be appropriate… if I ever decide to become an author I'll make sure I get that one published!_

Jen snapped out of her daydream at the sound of Morgan's voice which answered the question she'd almost forgotten she'd asked by saying "It's almost six-thirty- we usually start getting ready for school right now. Ben takes _for_-ever to take a shower, we need to eat breakfast- the most important meal of the day and I'd love it if you could plait my hair for me?" Morgan finished talking and took a breath; she'd been speaking quite rapidly and had forgotten she needed oxygen to survive. She stood there waiting for Jen to speak, her hopefulness splattered all over her face for Jen to see.

_This poor girl misses her mother so much, I feel so honoured to have been asked to braid her hair for her- that's something her mum would no doubt have done for her. How can I say no? I wouldn't dream of it._

It was Nick who provided Morgan with a response as Jen was too immersed with thinking to remember that what Morgan had just said had implied a question and, therefore, required an answer. "I was just about to come and get you two sleepy heads out of bed, but it looks like I'm the sleepy head now since you've beaten me to it, doesn't it?" Nick had tried his best to be as friendly and warm as possible with Morgan when he'd spoken his words of a moment before. He knew it would always be harder for him to connect and 'bond' with Morgan simply because he wasn't a woman, or an extremely attractive blonde for that matter, like Jen.

_She's not just any woman either, _Thought Nick, and once he'd got thinking about Jen he decided he'd ponder some more… _Jen's not just the woman I love- _she's the one- _the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. _It sounded a little corny to him, despite the fact it hadn't been spoken aloud, but it was true and he was absolutely certain of it.

Morgan's response told Nick he had indeed come across as a friendly father figure. She giggled and cheekily said "Yep, you guys are _both _sleepy heads. And one of you snores really loudly too."

"Austin, that would have to be you" Jen piped up before turning from Nick to face Morgan, adding "It was so bad I had to put tissues in my ears!"

Nick wasn't going to miss this excellent chance to pipe back in retaliation. "I couldn't sleep either. Rach was making these weird noises- sort of like noises you'd hear an ogre make!" Nick shot a tiny wink at Jen and mouthed the word 'sorry' so only she could see. He didn't like that he was accusing her of snoring when she was so quiet in her sleep and was always out like a light when sleep finally overcame her. When they were together he knew she used to lay there thinking for a while before she'd finally drop off. He wondered whether or not she knew that he'd always stayed up until he was sure she'd fallen asleep; he'd pull the covers up over her shoulders and make sure her hair was out of her face.

"You mean an ogre, like Shrek?" Morgan suggested enthusiastically. She'd started to play along with the two of them, adopting a 'three can play this game' attitude.

"Yeah, exactly- like Shrek" Nick said to Morgan, raising his eyebrows and looking at Jen, trying to imagine her as someone resembling Princess Fiona. Let's just say it was proving to be rather difficult.

Morgan laughed so hard she snorted.

"It looks like we've found you a little ogre friend over there, Rach! I'd better go and get Ben ready before the two of you turn me into a monster!" Nick went to walk out of the room but as he did so Ben walked in, almost crashing into him.

Morgan was now laughing so hard it hurt. She clutched her chest for support as she continued with her hysterics, a look of absolute glee on her face as she did so.

Ben was utterly confused as to what was so funny. He hardly ever saw Morgan laugh this hard. She was usually very serious and rarely laughed at any joke, unless of course it was one of her own. "What's so funny?" He inquired; slightly disappointed that he'd missed out on being present for the occasion.

"Oh I just called your sister and Rachael ogres. It seems that your sister snorts and Rachael here is a loud snorer. Did you by any chance hear her last night?" Nick hoped Ben had worked out the little game they were playing and that he would also join in. But it seemed Ben wasn't quite as smart as his sister when he replied-

"I didn't hear a thing. I've been told that if a bomb went off while I was sleeping I'd sleep right through it". Ben didn't realise he'd been a bit too honest but Morgan on the other hand knew exactly what to say next.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before. Ben's the snorer, not you guys! I didn't notice it until now because our bedrooms used to be so far away from each other!"

"What-_ever_, Morgan. Ben said as he walked out of the room, not at all fazed by what Morgan had just said. Nick followed, telling Ben he'd make him some breakfast and help him pack his schoolbag.

Now that Morgan had finally managed to control her fit of laughter, she turned to Jen and smiled, adoration smeared all over her face.

Jen returned the smile and crouched down in front of her so that their eyes were now level with each other. "I'd really love to plait your hair for you, Morgan".

The beam that lit up the young girl's face told Jen she had just made Morgan one happy camper.


	15. Chapter 15: First Day Of School

**Chapter 15: First Day of School**

It had been a hectic morning in the Greenwood household, to say the least. After Jen and Nick had helped the children prepare for their first day at their new school, they sat them down on the sofa in the lounge room at the front of the house for a much needed 'briefing' of sorts.

"If we don't leave soon, we'll be late" Morgan announced, annoyed by the fact they'd been sat down for 'a talk' when they should be well on their way to school by now. Morgan hadn't entirely enjoyed being couped up inside, she was eager to make new friends since she'd been forced to leave her old ones behind.

"This won't take long, I promise" Nick assured her, as he prepared to say what it was SIS had informed him to only minutes before when they'd phoned. "There are a couple of really important things I need to tell you guys before we can drop you at school". Nick hesitated, thinking of the best way to put what he needed to say. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten either of them. They must be nervous enough with having to start afresh at a new school with strange kids and unfamiliar surroundings; he didn't want to add to their anxieties. He took a deep breath and began to talk, figuring he should be honest with them in the best way he could. "Firstly, whenever you speak to us in or around your new school, you should call us mum and dad. In fact, we might make it that you call us that from now on so you get into the habit of doing it". Nick felt awful for them both after saying this; he knew it would be hard for them to refer to him and Jen as parents let alone address them as such around their new friends.

Nick went on by saying "I also need to remind you that whenever you write your name you need to remember your last name is Greenwood, not Gregg. Nobody at your school knows that your last name was ever Gregg, so you can't be seen writing it down, just in case". Nick thought he'd better not say 'just in case any bad guys are watching', he didn't want to even contemplate that thought himself; he couldn't stand it if anything were to happen to these kids. Before he could continue Morgan interrupted.

"So we call you mum and dad and whenever we write our name on our work, our last name's Greenwood. Okay, got it, can we pleeeease go now?" Morgan's impatience was really being tested now. She desperately wanted the talk to be over, but Nick wasn't done yet; the most important part was yet to come.

"Not yet, just one more thing and then we can go and get in the car". Nick gathered his thoughts carefully as the kids looked on intently, before he went on to say "While you guys are at school today, we're going to be doing some work to try and find out more about the bad guys we're here to protect you from. We're going to do our best to be at your school to pick you up as soon as the bell rings for home time, but if we're not there's somewhere we need you guys to wait for us until we can come and get you.

Morgan looked saddened by the idea that the two of them wouldn't be there to meet her and her brother when the final bell rang. Ben had a curious and concerned look on his face and it was he who spoke next. "Where do we have to go… if you're not there? Will we be safe? How do we know that someone won't kidnap us on our way to this place?" Ben blurted the questions out all at once and he wanted answers- fast.

Jen spoke up, calmly; desperate to make it clear to them both that no one would be able to harm them. "No one is going to kidnap either of you, Ben. You won't even have to go anywhere by yourself. You'll be picked up in a car by someone Austin and I both know well. He'll take you to his place where you'll wait for us. He's a very nice person; I think you'll both really like him- I know I do". Morgan seemed to have been convinced that they'd be perfectly safe, Ben, however wasn't so sure.

"So who is this guy? Have the people that you guys are working for asked him to come and get us after school?" Ben needed to hear from Jen that this man was someone the SIS could trust before he would even consider trusting him.

"Yes, the people who sent us to be your new guardians requested that this man be the person to look after you until we can pick you up. And remember it's only if we can't be there to get you first which, if all goes well, we plan to do".

Morgan asked one last question before the talk finished and they at last made their way to the car and the new school which awaited their arrival. "What's his name… mum?

"His name's Simon".


	16. Chapter 16: Intercepted

**Chapter 16: Intercepted.**

After what seemed like an eternity, the kids had been dropped off for their first day at their new school without a single glitch. _Not unless you count Morgan's suffocatingly tight hug_, thought Jen. Her and Nick now sat beside each other in the front seat of their new 'family' car, a shiny jet black Ford Territory, their first SIS set task having now been swung into motion.

Jen hated not knowing whether or not they'd be able to get the kids from school, by not doing so, she felt as though she were the equivalent of a bad mother; a mum who wasn't there for her children when they needed her most, when they were relying on her. She wondered if Nick felt the same way about it that she did. In fact, these days, she often wished she could dabble in his thoughts or know exactly what was troubling him. Living under the same roof as him, sleeping in the same bed- simply being around him- just wasn't enough for her to know his innermost feelings and concerns. Jen felt as though she needed to know what was going on inside that beautiful head of his, behind those gorgeous green eyes she found it so easy to get lost in.

She was just about to open her mouth to speak- to ask whether he felt as awful as she did about leaving Ben and Morgan with another stranger to get used to- when Nick said they needed to pull over at a service station for petrol.

'Sorry, Jen, did you just wanna ask me something? It looked like you were going to talk but I sort of cut you off'. Nick looked into her eyes imploringly; she could tell he was genuinely apologetic for butting in before she'd had the chance to say something. _I wish he wouldn't look into my eyes like this_, Jen thought, slightly short of breath as she replied 'No, it was nothing, I was just going to ask if you were going to stop here, I'm feeling a little peckish'. She thought against telling him she'd been about to probe him about his feelings- what Jen had really wanted to say deserved to be said properly and with decent consideration, not hurriedly as he pulled in to refuel.

Nick stopped beside the bowser, pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned to Jen before asking her what she'd like to snack on from the servo. 'So, what can I get you while I'm in there? Wait, let me guess. A Gaytime, right? They're your favourite, if I remember correctly?' He flashed her one of his brilliant smiles and she couldn't help but grin widely in return. He knew her too well- during her pregnancy she often had cravings for ice-cream and Nick would drive to the shop just to get her a box of Gaytimes if they didn't have any on hand. Usually he always made sure their fridge was well stocked up with them though; he knew Jen liked them best ever since the first date they went on together. Deciding what ice-cream she'd wanted was one of the few things she could really be decisive about that day; she remembered having to weigh up the pros and cons for just about everything else that their impending relationship would mean.

'Ah, your memory still serves you well, _Austin_, Jen said cheekily as yet another smile lit up her face.

'Coming right up', Nick said, as he hopped out of the car, turning back to chuck the keys to Jen, saying 'mind these for me', before shutting the door behind him.

Jen watched him as he stood at the bowser and began filling the tank for the trip that lay ahead of them. She didn't mean for her glance to shift downwards right at the moment he turned to read the amount he'd racked up on the bowser display. Jen had absolutely no idea what had gotten into her when she found herself unable to bring her attention away from Nick's- _uh, backside. Seriously, Jen, his arse? You're about to turn up disguised as a married couple, to a meeting full of quite possibly dangerous criminals, and your eyes just happen to wander to the back pockets of his jeans. Just brilliant!_

Jen snapped out of her reckless and utterly pointless drift in concentration, deciding that she'd wait until the right moment came up to ask Nick about exactly how he was feeling. And she'd ask him about everything- about every last concern they were faced with right at that very moment, and also in the uncertain future that was wafting unpleasantly around them- like a bad smell that just couldn't be disguised.

Before she could contemplate any further, she heard the handle on the driver's side car door flick open and realised she must have shut everything out for longer than she'd intended to. It only seemed like a second ago to her that Nick had made his way to the service station, to pay for the petrol and to get her snack. _But hang on- isn't that him with his back to me, staring contemplatively into the fridge along the back wall of the servo supermarket? _As Jen turned around, unsure if she really wanted to face the stranger who was now sitting beside her in the driver's seat, a dirty old handkerchief was placed over her mouth and what happened next, Jen will never be entirely sure of.


	17. Chapter 17: Frantic

**Chapter 17: Frantic.**

Nick casually turned around from facing the ice-cream section of the service station supermarket, a Gaytime and a Chocolate Magnum in hand, keen to finalise his purchase, pay for the fuel and get back to Jen so they could be on their way. He aimed a quick glance at where Jen should have been sitting in the car awaiting his return only to find that she- along with the car or any visible trace of her- had vanished from sight. Nick dropped the ice-creams, dashed out of the store and ran out onto the road, hoping there would be something- anything- that could give him the slightest hint as to what had happened to Jen or where she might have disappeared to. But there was nothing. Not a single clue. There wasn't anything that even indicated Jen had been only feet from his current spot just minutes earlier.

_Someone's taken her_,he thought bleakly as he raced back into the supermarket to use the store's phone and pay for the petrol- telling the surly man behind the counter that his wife must have forgotten he'd gone in to pay for the petrol and driven off due to her advanced Alzheimer's. It was the only thing he could think of and he didn't really care what the man thought as he plunked the money for the petrol down on the counter. The beefy man shot him a strange look, but overall Nick thought he was just glad to have been paid for the petrol before slipping it into the register and continuing to hoe into the giant hamburger he'd been making a real mess with before Nick had interrupted him- barbeque sauce dripping steadily onto his already permanently stained, too small, t-shirt as he did so.

As Nick picked up the public payphone from its holder, he was surprised his fingers were steady enough to have a tight grip on it, but somehow he had managed. Right now Nick knew he must inform the SIS of Jen's sudden disappearance- they were the only people he felt whose help could be of use right now, even though he was rather reluctant to turn to them he just had to. _If something has happened to Jen, I'll never be able to forgive myself_, was all that Nick could think as he'd dialled the number and waited with baited breath for someone to answer- he needed help to find her and fast- and the worst thing was that she could be headed anywhere. _God only knows if her captor has done anything to harm her_. Nick felt physically ill at the thought of anyone laying a finger on the woman he loved. That's when it hit him. When he found Jennifer Mapplethorpe- and he would do whatever it took to get her back- he wasn't going to let her go ever again. Jen meant the world to him and it had taken all the fear that had risen at this dreadful moment for him to realise that life's too short- even shorter when you love someone and you fear you might never get the chance to tell them exactly how you feel.

When this was all over, he was going to ask Jen to marry him.


	18. Chapter 18: For The First Time

**Chapter 18: For the first time.**

_It was another freezing winter's day in Melbourne- 'what's new?' thought Jen. She usually didn't mind the cold weather, but this was probably only due to the fact she didn't really have a reason to prefer the heat. She never went swimming and wouldn't be caught dead in a swimsuit at a public pool- what if she bumped into someone from work? That would be charming. Her and Nick being forced undercover in one of the coldest Melbourne winters on record, and also being required to share a house and a bed with each other, had caused her to develop a newfound appreciation for having someone as lovely and handsome as he was to snuggle up to in chilly temperatures- even if it was only pretend._

_They'd been undercover for longer than they had both anticipated. Days seemed to go on forever; nights seemed to fly by in a flurry. The two of them had so much to do and so little time available to them to get it all done in. They both wanted to get the job over with nicely so they could get back to their lives but, right now, the lives they should be living seemed so completely disjointed from their beings._

_All Jen wished for was to go back to being Detective Mapplethorpe of homicide and she would've given anything for the man lying next to her, his arm resting softly around her waist in the early hours of yet another frosty morning, to simply be Nick Buchanan- not a man with black hair and dark brown eyes; she loved his _real_eyes. Reality was- Jen was holed up in the middle of nowhere, had assumed an entirely new identity and didn't even look a thing like the Jen of old- the Jen she'd come to love and feel confident with being. 'I have chestnut coloured hair and hazel eyes, how did I let this happen?' Jen thought as she sighed and rolled over a little more hastily than she'd planned, accidentally waking Nick in the process._

"_Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, beautiful", Jen said, genuinely sorry she'd disturbed him when he'd been so blissfully out to it, before placing a soft kiss to his lips and receiving a wide grin from him in return._

"_Never mind about waking me, how are the two women of my life this morning? Feeling better than you were this time yesterday I hope". The day before Nick had woken not to Jen abruptly turning to face him, but instead he'd hopped out of bed after realising she was in the bathroom getting a glass of water, having felt a little off colour- strenuous activity they'd concluded as having been the cause. "We both feel much better, thank goodness", Jen replied, nestling her head comfortably into Nick's shoulder as she did so. Jen wasn't sure how long this wonderful moment would last so she was opting to savour it while she still had the chance. Also wanting to make the most of a time like this, Nick wrapped his free arm around Jen and kissed her tenderly on the shoulder. Jen felt like the luckiest woman alive right at that moment. Not only was she spending time- however little and disrupted it was likely to be- with the man she loved, but she was carrying their child- a baby girl they'd discovered at her first ultrasound. _

_It had come as a huge shock to them both when she'd taken a test and discovered she was pregnant, but she didn't even consider for a second not going along with the pregnancy. Besides, there wasn't anyone else on the planet she'd have chosen to start a family with. Nick was her Mr. Right, and as crazy as their situation might be, she wasn't going to give up what might be her one and only chance at becoming a mum, with someone as special to her as Nick, just because she was working for the SIS. _

_One concern the two of them had was the SIS finding out that Jen was pregnant and with her ever growing bump becoming harder and harder to conceal, baggy clothes were only going to cut it for so long. If the SIS did discover their secret, it would be highly likely that it would put an end to the undercover operation and as much as they wanted this all to be over, they wanted to finish the task they'd been sent to do. _

_Nick often found himself awake in the middle of the night thinking 'the longer we're stuck here, the longer Jen and the baby's lives could be at risk'. He did his best to keep thoughts of this nature from Jen- not wanting to worry her with them- because, after all, she had enough to stress over as it was- they both did. But Jen had this way of sensing when Nick was worried or when something on his mind had been bothering him and she used to also have a way of getting him to open up about these concerns. 'Smart woman, I have here', Nick would always think to himself._

"_Are you okay, Nick?" Jen asked, still snuggled up next to him, her head lifting up from where it had rested against his shoulder to look into his eyes imploringly._

"_Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I've got you and our soon to be little miss beside me- that's pretty much everything I've ever wanted right there." As Nick finished speaking, Jen, who normally would've wondered if something was worrying him deep down, snuggled into Nick's shoulder even more cosily than she had only several minutes earlier- baby brain having obviously set in. Nick placed the softest, yet calming, kiss on Jen's forehead just as the door to their fake bedroom opened and something happened which changed their lives forever._

Somewhere oh-so-distant in a dark and dreary place, Jennifer Mapplethorpe had finished reliving the one moment of her past she'd give anything to try and change and was now slowly coming to.


	19. Chapter 19: A Very Lucky Escape

**Chapter 19: A very lucky escape.**

The moment Jen woke from the painful memory she was so often haunted with, she felt absolutely awful- and not just physically either. Her emotions were running wild and fear pulsed through every inch of her already tormented being. It was like every little skerrick of happiness and life had been drained out of her and all that were left was an ugly void that she so desperately wished would fill itself again.

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long for that empty space to begin to repair- for her to feel as though she were safe and loved, a feeling that only one person in particular could properly evoke in her. It was just extremely fortunate that the shady character that tore Jen away from the service station, and also from the man who mattered most to her in the world, wasn't interested in murdering her. In fact, from the ordeal she'd just been put through, Jen barely had a single scratch on her.

Nick was relieved of the chaos he'd been overcome with during Jen's brief but painful disappearance when, after what seemed like several hours of frantic searching but in reality was only just over one, he held her in his arms and told her it was going to be okay- that _they_ were going to be okay. He embraced her with every ounce of strength that all the worry and pain of having felt as though he might've lost her had sucked out of him and promised her one thing- "I'm never going to let you out of my sight again, you hear me?" At those words, all Jen could do was look into his eyes which were full of complete adoration for her and try to communicate without words that she understood. It was lucky she didn't have the energy for tears or they'd be rushing down her face in an uncontrollable frenzy of emotion.

To say that Nick had been furious with SIS would have been an absolute understatement- he was beyond angry right now- _Jen could've been killed! _It was a thought he hated to have floating around in his head, but it was one of those moments where he just couldn't cease to think about what might have been. Jen meant so much to him and right now he couldn't give a rats about the operation they were supposed to be involved in. _Had the SIS been keeping a close watch like they were supposed to be, this would never have happened. _Nick wanted answers.

Despite the fact their four-wheel drive was fitted with surveillance cameras which the SIS are supposed to be keeping an eye on around the clock, something had prevented them from being able to warn the two detectives that danger was approaching. Either that or they simply weren't watching closely enough. Whatever the reason for the sudden downward spiral of protection on SIS' part, it was simply unacceptable in Nick's opinion and he wasn't going to just sit back and pretend like nothing had gone pear-shaped.

After making sure Jen was okay to sit in their newly allocated midnight blue Ford Falcon alone, her legs turned out of the car and hanging over the ledge the door closed into, Nick hurriedly began to make his way over to the man in charge of the situation, Adam Cameron. Despite hearing a significantly more quiet protest from Jen than he would have under normal circumstances in reply to his haste, he kept an even pace and stopped rather suddenly as he reached the man he so despised at that very moment. Nick didn't care that Cameron was immersed in deep and hurried conversation with someone who looked just as unpleasant as he did, and he hoped it showed in his fierce stance and the plain as day expression of loathing that was plastered all over his face.

"One moment, detective Buchanan, there are some important details I have to run past one of my colleagues here. I'll be with you in a second, there are some things we have to discuss- Mapplethorpe included".

Nick felt as though he had steam coming out of his ears after hearing these words sound out of Cameron's mouth- it was as though they'd escaped from something robotic as they contained so little feeling.

"I wouldn't care if it were the Pope you had a few things to discuss with, Cameron. I want answers and I want them now". Nick was fuming as he stood there facing a somewhat surprised Adam Cameron- a man he carried so much hate toward after all he'd allowed to happen to him and Jen.

Adam Cameron must have noticed how much anger and loathing Nick carried just then, as he murmured a few parting words to his SIS friend and walked the couple of steps to stand where the detective waited, his sleeves rolled up and both hands on his hips, expecting some sort of explanation.

"Detective Buchanan, I know you're angry about the situation at hand but, I can assure you, my colleagues and I are doing everything we can to get this operation back on track, as well as everything we can to ensure the safety of both you and Detective Mapplethorpe from here on in".

Nick couldn't believe he'd actually heard the words leave Cameron's soulless being; his own words came out in only a little less than a shout- it was the only way he'd get his point across, he figured. "I'm going to sleep a whole lot easier knowing you're doing 'all you can' to protect our safety 'from here on in', Cameron, because, let's face it, you've done a mighty good job at that so far".

Nick's reaction was hardly anything less than Cameron had expected- the emphasis on the certain words Nick had used to get his message heard loud and clear and only prompting the delivery of a retaliatory speech Cameron already had down pat and ready to fire back at the detective. "Detective, I am aware this unfortunate incident has been a major set back in this operation-"

"A major setback!" Nick shot back furiously, the fiercest of expressions on his face and the usually cheerful aura he had been known to carry with him religiously all but gone in the process. Adam Cameron was almost driving him to breaking point and the sheer disbelief at what he was hearing was becoming harder and harder for him to bear. As Nick shook his head and half laughed, about to continue shooting down Cameron's words, Jen, who had been looking on and hoping with what little energy she could muster that Nick wouldn't do or say anything he might later regret, had gotten up from where she sat and was slowly making her way over to where Nick and Cameron stood, almost at a face off.

It was as if Nick could sense Jen coming towards him, the way he'd rushed over to make sure she was okay only a split second after she'd vacated the spot she'd looked on from. Jen had been wanting all the while to be with him but instead resisted by telling herself her going over there and becoming even more emotionally strained than she already was wasn't going to help any cause, especially not where her health or blood pressure were concerned. Though, reality was, Nick hadn't entirely kept his eyes off Jen the moment he'd left her side to bite Adam Cameron's head off. The whole time he'd been verbally duelling it out with SIS, he'd made certain to squeeze in sporadically timed glances in her direction at every opportunity, taking solace in the fact that whenever he did, Jen had her eyes set squarely on him.


	20. Chapter 20: A Surprise Encounter

**Chapter 20: A surprise encounter.**

**A/N: **This flashback starts from the moment Jen wakes after being taken away from the service station. Jen wakes from being drugged in the SIS four-wheel drive en-route with her captor.

_When Jen slowly started to come to she found herself right where she was before everything had gone horribly wrong- in the front seat of the SIS allocated four-wheel drive, her hands bound together painfully with rope, a blindfold tied tightly over her eyes and her lips sealed shut with what could only be gaffer tape. _

_Physically, Jen didn't think anything serious was wrong with her but if you could count the fear which was pulsing rapidly through her, making her fingertips tremble uncontrollably, then Jen were battered and bruised something chronic. Not too long ago she'd sat in the exact same leather covered seat with Nick Buchanan right beside her and she'd felt safe, protected from any evils with the added security of them being a team. Jen had also taken comfort in the familiarity of having worked undercover with Nick before- she knew how he operated in an undercover situation and how to read him when he responded to any dangers which arose. This comfort, however, was something which had faded the moment the man beside her had snatched her away from her comfort zone and the man she loved. She no longer had Nick by her side in the event that something even more horrible than the current situation she was in was to transpire. It was just her and a man she knew practically nothing about now, no Nick or Austin or anyone else to be her safety blanket. _

_It wasn't that she didn't know how to take care of herself, though- Jennifer Mapplethorpe had proven on many occasions back in Homicide that she was highly capable of holding her own in a predominately male team. The thing stumping Jennifer the most right now, was that she was absolutely oblivious as to who her kidnapper was, what he wanted and what he even looked or sounded like. Come to think of it, she couldn't even be sure he _was_ a he! There was only one thing she knew for certain about the person driving the car and the fact that they had drowned themselves in the most horrid smelling fragrance she had ever smelt in her life was not going to help her any._

_Suddenly, Jen's train of thought was interrupted as, slowly but surely the mystery driver was pulling to a stop on the side of the road. Jen remained as still as anything, hoping that whoever they were and whatever they wanted was far from what she imagined- and Jen was thinking the worst right at that moment._

_The detective certainly wasn't expecting what happened next, in fact, what took place was the furthest thing from what she'd thought was coming her way. After the stranger had hopped out of the car and closed the door behind them, they'd made their way around to the passenger side and opened the door, roughly pulling Jen out and slamming the door shut. Jen was too scared as it was to let anything else get to her so she didn't react in the slightest as she was dragged a short distance or when suddenly the gaffer tape was being removed carelessly from her mouth. She didn't dare speak or even move her lips but was glad that they'd removed the tape and not physically harmed her._

_What happened next was such a shock that Jennifer wouldn't have been able to stop herself from letting out a huge gasp out of shock if she'd tried. They spoke to her. The shocking part was- it wasn't 'they' who spoke to her anymore. Now she could put a name to the person standing next to her and it wasn't who she'd expected at all- she thought they were dead._

_Nevertheless, Jen wasn't scared- she didn't believe this person to be dangerous, though the fact they'd been alive all this time without being discovered gave her second thoughts. Now she'd heard enough to know for certain who they were, Jen had a feeling there were some more words coming her way- and she was right. Their message was brief yet clear- it was a warning that at the same time provided Jen with instructions and at the same time frightened her a little. Next thing she knew her hands were untied, her blindfold had been removed and she looked them right in the face before they turned around leaving her there, dumbstruck and glued to the spot. Next thing they were gone. _

_Jen knew she was no longer in any danger and she'd believed them when they'd said someone would know where to find her, but the shock of who'd been facing her only moments ago had been too much. Jen had never fainted in her life yet then and there she slumped to the ground, her last thought being of Nick finding her as she hoped with every bit of hope she could muster that he would. Fact was she needed him- now and always._


	21. Chapter 21: 'Uncle Simon'

**Chapter 21: 'Uncle Simon'.**

While it had been a very eventful day for their parents, Morgan and Ben had had an interesting first day at their new school, to say the least. As they waited in the front of the school office for two people they weren't sure would even be coming to collect them, people they had come to rely on and trust, Morgan's patience was wearing thin.

"Where are they?" She complained, a hint of nervousness tarnishing her voice as she spoke. Ben, who had been pacing up and down in front of where his sister sat on a small sofa, had a sneaking suspicion Rachael and Austin weren't going to be the ones to pick them up that afternoon. He thought carefully about the best way to break this news to his sister- he could tell she was worried and he didn't want to add to her anxieties. He didn't want to get her hopes up either; he'd promised himself after his parents passed away that if there were one person he would always be honest with it would be Morgan. She deserved that and so much more in his opinion.

"I don't think mum and dad are going to be picking us up today, Morgs". It still felt weird to Ben, having to refer to Rachael and Austin as their mum and dad, but his and Morgan's safety was at stake so he'd had to sound casual when saying it. Ben looked at his sister whose gaze was focused right back at him, until suddenly, she turned to stare out the door of the office. A blank and expressionless look provided all the evidence he needed to understand she had much more on her mind than she ought to for an eight year old. He had to reassure her everything was going to be okay- but how? As Ben was about to explain to his little sister that everything would work out somehow, the door to the office opened and Morgan, still deep in thought, jumped with fright at the unexpected stranger.

Ben couldn't help but notice that the man, who had plenty of brown curly hair, smelt strongly of the beach and he could have sworn he spotted some grains of sand still scattered in his hair. The guy not only reeked of the ocean but he was also dressed for it, wearing a loose fitting t-shirt with a Billabong logo positioned boldly across the front and long black Quiksilver board shorts. Ben, being quite the professional at first impressions, thought the man looked pretty cool and secretly hoped he came across as someone just as trendy when he was older.

As Simon Joyner closed the door and entered the office he shot a lingering glance at Ben, as Jen- _uh, what was I supposed to be calling her again? Rachael- gotta remember that- _had instructed her to and winked shiftily at the young boy who, apparently, would understand what he meant.

Ben didn't miss a beat and understood that this was the Simon that Rachael had been talking about that morning before they'd all, finally, gotten in the car. The surfy looking guy in front of Ben didn't look a thing like the Simon he had drawn a mental image of, but he wasn't scary looking, wore cool clothes and looked like someone who'd be happy to play video games with him. _He seems like an alright guy… here goes…_

Ben hopped up from his chair as quickly as he could manage with his heart beating a million miles an hour, and made his way over to who he was certain was their 'babysitter' for the afternoon, the actor in him exclaiming "Uncle Simon!"

_Uncle Simon, that's new! _At Ben's words, Simon shot a huge grin at the young boy standing in front of him, saying "Hey champ! How was school?" After having, only seconds earlier, showed off some pretty convincing acting skills, Ben thought about inventing an exciting series of events to report to Simon regarding his day at school. In the end, he decided to go with a simple but effective "It was good, I played footy at lunch".

"Footy, hey? That does sound good" Simon replied before walking the couple of steps to where Morgan had sat looking on intently, and saying "How about you, kiddo? Did you play some footy too?" He didn't want to frighten the girl; he noticed she had been pretty quiet ever since he'd walked in and knew this situation would be difficult for her to get her head around at first, her being the youngest and all. The ex-detective had only agreed to look after her and her brother, if Jen and Nick needed him to, because he'd been at a loose end and figured it wouldn't hurt to be of use to someone. He was also determined to do a good job; he really did plan on making an effort with his new young charges. Simon didn't expect an immediate answer to the question he'd just asked her, but Morgan replied rather promptly with "I didn't play footy, but I _did _play some netball. I'm not a very good shooter though, but I did make some friends".

"Friends? On your first day? That's impressive!" Simon had managed to get a tiny yet clearly visible smile out of Morgan, it was more than he could have hoped for. _Mission accomplished_, he thought, as he leant over and picked her bag up off the grey carpeted floor and went up to the office counter. After he had informed one of the office ladies about who he was and that he was there to take Ben and Morgan home, he walked back to where the kids now stood- next to each other waiting for him, and lead them out the door to his car.

The kids didn't say anything more to Simon on the way to the car; instead they talked amongst themselves until they arrived at the charcoal coloured Subaru Impreza station wagon. Their silence towards Simon was broken by Morgan, who piped up "I bags front seat". Simon smiled and shot his next words at Ben "You heard your sister, in ya get! Back seat." Ben looked a little disappointed- he had so much to quiz Simon about- but he wasn't bothered to argue and just did as he was told, clambering into the back. Morgan jumped in with a really smug look on her face. Simon smiled and thought to himself _how hard could this be?_


	22. Chapter 22: Hopes and realities

**Chapter 22: Hopes and realities.**

Simon had never considered himself as being father material; he hadn't even thought that one day he might be an uncle or be placed in an 'uncle' situation. It wasn't that he didn't like kids; it was more because he couldn't picture either of his sisters ever having children or any of his friends ever leaving him with the responsibility of minding their little ones. And he certainly hadn't been able to see himself settling down and starting a family of his own- not any time soon anyway. He'd come across kids during his time as a homicide detective, and he found that, more often than not, he was good with them; that they liked him. He had no reason to believe that if, one day, he were to become a father he wouldn't make a fantastic one. But as he drove down Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, soon to arrive at his place with two young children he'd only just met, Simon couldn't help thinking to himself, _this is one sure fire way to find out whether I could cut it as a parent. _And, secretly, Simon Joyner hoped that one day he could.

Nick and Jen had reluctantly talked things over with SIS and things were slowly beginning to get back on track for them. Gradually, signs of normality, given their situation, were beginning to show. They could finally get back to the task they'd been assigned to, back in their newly assigned car, on the road and in the right direction. Despite this move forward, neither of them could erase from their memories the fact that something, which could have had disastrous consequences all round, had gone scarily wrong. No matter how hard they tried to combat it, the scenario they'd been placed in just kept popping up, its intensity multiplying each time it was replayed and making it harder for the detectives to shake. Nick couldn't help but feel that, even though is was SIS' job to make sure nothing untoward or unexpected happened to them, he was partly to blame for the entire mishap. He felt like such an idiot to have not simply taken the car keys with him or insisted that Jen go with him rather than wait in the car. Ultimately, Nick felt guilty for having left the woman he loved alone, exposed to any unknown lurking dangers. He felt as though, in doing so, he'd let her down and Jen was too special a person to him that he felt sick to the core even believing he'd treated her any less than she deserved to be treated. He wanted more than anything for her to say something, right at that moment, to let him know she didn't think of him as having done anything whatsoever to put her in danger. Even just to hear her voice right then would've made a world of difference. But Jennifer sat there as quiet as ever, staring out the window, her utterly blank expression acting as a veil to what lie beneath. Just the sight of her looking so shaken and miserable made Nick want to reach out to her and speak words, words which could fix everything in a heartbeat. The reality of the situation, however, meant Nick couldn't do any of this. All he could do was continue to grip the steering wheel and carry them forward, further into their misted future and deeper into their lives as Austin and Rachael.


	23. Chapter 23: Choices, choices

**Chapter 23: Choices, choices.**

Like Nick, Jen found herself constantly plagued with memories and unwanted reminders of what had transpired only earlier that very same day. Though, to her, it didn't seem as though it had happened that day- Jen felt as if she'd been through at least several more days since. She felt completely drained of all the energy she normally possessed, powerless to do anything and she felt so unlike her it was scary. But the worst feeling she had wasn't a feeling within, it was more of an ache. As she stared out at her surroundings, the car proceeding onward in steady motions, tree after tree, light post after light post, Jen possessed a longing so strong she could almost physically feel the pain of it. She wanted desperately to be able to voice her thoughts to Nick, tell him she didn't blame him, that it wasn't his fault. The only problem was that Jennifer didn't want to relieve any part of what had taken place, she'd done that enough in her mind, as it was, to last her a life time.

As she turned away from the window cautiously, not wanting to draw attention to the fact her eyes were now on him, Jen gazed over at Nick, deep in debate with herself about whether or not to open up to him. She went to open her mouth to speak more than once, each time opting to remain silent. Choosing not to just come out with it meant continuing the argument with her inner self, her insides becoming twisted and frustration beginning to set in. When Jen at last spoke, it was only because Nick had fired the briefest of sideway glances at her. Their eyes had met for only a couple of seconds, though Jen knew she couldn't prolong it any longer- there were things he needed to know and, at that moment, she had chosen to tell him everything.

The choices being made over at Simon's place were nowhere near as difficult as the one Jen had just had to find the courage within her to make. In fact, the hardest conclusion that had had to be reached since they'd arrived at the beachside home was who would nab the better controller on Simon's PlayStation 3. Simon had given the honour of using the 'nice controller' to Ben and he thought Morgan had taken it pretty well. Though he also thought that maybe he'd picked the best possible moment to conjure up some snacks for them to munch on, as they thumbed away at the AFL game on the screen. Ben had discovered the game's case amongst Simon's collection, not long after they'd all walked through the front door. Naturally, after spotting the game, his first question to Simon and also the first thing he'd spoken without having to pretend he was he was his nephew, was "What footy team do you go for?" Ben wasn't all too impressed when he'd replied he was a St Kilda supporter but Morgan, on the other hand, her eyes lit up as soon as she'd heard Simon say it. Simon may not have noticed, but at this very moment, Morgan thought _he's kinda cute… for a boy._

Jen had expected Nick to take what she was going to say rather seriously, but what she hadn't expected was for him to pull over to the side of the road suddenly right after he'd heard it. She knew he'd be furious with her for not informing SIS of any of it, even though he now distrusted them with just about everything after the events of earlier that morning. But Jen had her reasons and she was dead set on convincing Nick they were the right ones for not keeping Cameron entirely in the loop.

As soon as Nick had come to a complete stop on the side of the unsealed road they'd been driving on, she knew she had to get in first; she needed a clear head to tell everything right. With all the honesty she could conjure up, and which she knew she'd need to provide him with a proper explanation, she spoke to him ever so solemnly.

"Nick, before you say anything, you've got to trust me when I say I know what I'm doing here. I have my reasons for not telling Cameron". Jen studied Nick's face after she'd spoken. She took in every flicker of movement she could make out in the almost complete darkness enveloping them both, attempting to decipher the slightest meanings she could from every shift of focus in his eyes, to every miniscule movement in his cheeks as he breathed. But she couldn't read a thing from any of it. _Remind me not to play poker with this one_, she thought, as after what seemed like a life time, he told her simply "I do trust you, Jen. That's what two people who love each other do isn't it? Trust each other to make the right choices?" After he finished speaking, he leaned over the handbrake as gracefully as he could and kissed her, just like that. It had been the last thing Jen had expected but, nevertheless, she responded wholeheartedly and, by the time they broke apart, she'd almost forgotten what she'd spilled to him only moments earlier.

After the moment had passed, Jen had had to seriously think about where it had come from. It wasn't that she didn't like being on the receiving end of Nick's kisses- far from it- she was just really curious as to why he'd decided to plant one on her right at that moment. She'd just revealed something she was sure would prompt one of their rare disagreements, or would, at least, cause an outbreak of his over protectiveness toward her. She knew from experience Nick possessed an over protective streak, especially when it came to their undercover work, but she hadn't thought about it all too much since they'd been forced undercover for the second time. When Jen had become fed up with mentally overanalysing everything, she decided she'd be straight up with him and just ask.

"That was a nice surprise. Not that I'm complaining, but I was just expecting something a little less… calming." She'd meant to inquire fairly seriously, though Jen couldn't help adding in that last little comment. Nick smiled, at that particular last word she'd spoken. It was only a minute smile, but even still, it had been one which acted as a bright light amongst all the dark conversation which awaited them both. A large weight had been lifted from Jen, she was ever so grateful- for the smile and for Nick.

"I'm sorry; I guess it just seemed the better of two options. Option one being to discuss 'you know what' and option two being to remind you of how I feel about you." Nick searched Jen's face and what he found were the most gentle and beautiful green eyes that had lit up as she smiled appreciatively at him. He reached over to where her right hand rested on the side of her seat and placed his hand atop it. She, too, looked him in the eyes; it never ceased to amaze Jen how amazing they were. But, their beauty aside, she still hadn't replied to his explanation regarding his choice of option two.

"You don't have to remind me, Nick. I know how you feel; I know how I feel. I just wish we weren't in this situation; it makes everything far less black and white than it should be." Nick knew exactly what Jen had meant. Their present situation wasn't ideal and they had a lot to get through, as Rachael and Austin, before they could let anything eventuate between them as Jennifer and Nick. SIS was still watching them, even if, half the time, it felt as though they were on this mission alone. They had to keep their feelings as separate from the job they had been set to do as they possibly could. It was at this point that Nick decided they had to talk, they had to weigh up the choices they had available and come to a conclusion as to where they were headed undercover next.

Nick gripped her hand a little more tightly as he began to speak and, as he did so, a worried look appeared on Jen's face. She could sense what was coming; she knew they had to go back over what had happened that morning. But what worried her was that she knew, this time, she wouldn't simply be retelling what took place. This time, they both needed to make a choice and it wasn't one they could take lightly. Fact was, what they decided next could mean make or break- for them, the kids and their futures.


	24. Chapter 24: Anything but Simple

**Chapter 24: Anything but simple.**

The moment had come and, this time, there was no backing out for Jennifer Mapplethorpe. No not wanting to go over it all again because it's just too painful, no tiptoeing around the matter, no nonsense. Jen knew that, instead, it was time to get it all out in the open, her and Nick needed to talk everything over and simply be honest with each other. It was now or never and Jen decided to be the one to speak first. The sooner she spoke, the sooner they could make what, ultimately, was one humungous but essential decision.

"I should've told SIS I knew who my kidnapper was. But I just couldn't, Nick. It was bad enough having to lie to you, but there was no way I could've told them anything about what really happened after I'd disappeared." Jennifer trailed off; she needed to find the right words to retell the next bit. Nick had been listening to Jen's every word, hanging on each tiny detail, begging each little inkling of description for more of an explanation. He knew Jen had her reasons. _She's the smartest woman I know._

As Jen were about to continue, Nick shot her a warm, reassuring, smile. It was all he felt he could do but a gesture he could never get tired of, for smiling at Jen and taking in her beauty and the calmness of her eyes at the same time, made him feel immeasurably at ease. Jen, grateful Nick had encouraged her to continue, spoke next of the bombshell she had dropped right before he'd brought the car to an abrupt stop. "When Lisa Gregg spoke, I couldn't believe it. I mean, we had no reason not to believe that this woman were dead. Her message was one thing, but having the photographic memory of her face… She was so worried, Nick and I was too shocked to say anything to her!" Jen stopped talking suddenly, slightly worked up by what she'd just spoken about. Nick knew just by the look of worry in her eyes that Jen was questioning whether or not she'd done the right thing. Nick was right. Jen couldn't help it, as she continued to dwell on whether or not she had made the right decision not trying to prevent Lisa Gregg leaving her kids behind for a second time.

Nick knew how she must be feeling, but understood she'd been too traumatised and in complete and utter shock to be able to do anything more than listen to what the supposedly 'dead' Lisa Gregg had had to say. Nick felt it was lucky she was able to even do that, though, as Jen had been genuinely frightened that someone far more dangerous had her captured and were about to harm her. Nick had gone to speak but instead he reached for Jen's hand, placing his atop hers, gripping it tightly and entwining his warm fingers between her delicate ones before stroking the side of her hand with his thumb. Jen loved the way even the slightest touch from Nick could make everything seem simple when, in reality, it was anything but.


	25. Chapter 25: The Fear

**Chapter 25: The fear.**

_As Jen stood there out in the elements, no longer shielded by what little safety net she felt she had possessed whilst in the SIS four-wheel drive, she was overcome with panic. Her job as a homicide detective meant her safety was never really guaranteed whenever she was on the job and she'd simply learnt to shove the fear of death to the back of her mind. That fear, the one which was stored away and forgotten about, was only ever released by Jen on the rare occasion danger happened to present itself to her. There were two experiences where this fear had been let out and lingered for a little longer than Jen would have liked. The first being when she, Simon, Sparksey and Karen were held hostage in the homicide building and, the second, when she had to run for her life to escape the clutches of the sneaky Warren Endicott. Of course there were other times and, not surprisingly the majority of these 'other' occasions had been during her and Nick's first experience undercover. But Jen's most prominent and painful experience with such fear had come at a time when her career just seemed so insignificant and unimportant compared to everything else in her life. Fear of losing a loved one and the life you had begun to create and imagine playing out with them - this was the type of fear Jen struggled to forget the pain of. It was also the best way to describe how she felt right at that moment - in the lead up to Lisa Gregg's sudden and unexpected 'return from the dead'._

Jen knew one of the worst things to come out of Lisa Gregg's reappearance was still yet to come as her and Nick travelled on into the night. They hadn't faced Ben and Morgan since discovering that the children's mother was very much alive and as well as could be expected under the circumstances. Jen didn't know how she could even look at either of them whilst keeping a secret with the power to make them overwhelmed, happy and relieved all at the same time. She hated that not telling them meant she was lying to them and depriving them of something they had more of a right to know than she did. It was one of the things she hated about undercover - keeping secrets - but it was something which simply couldn't be avoided.

Her and Nick had both agreed not to mention anything about what had happened to either of the kids – ever. If SIS didn't know then Ben and Morgan shouldn't either. This was her and Nick's secret whether Jen liked it or not - and she most certainly didn't. She hated it. As they drove onward, the night sky, filled with an infinite amount of twinkling specks, caught Jen's attention and that one moment in which she gazed at the stars, she finally felt relaxed. She didn't know how long the feeling would last but she was savouring it while it did. She kept her eyes focused on them for what seemed like hours before one glittering star stood out from the rest, bright and brilliant, shooting past in the distance. _It deserves a wish_, Jen thought, as with all the might she possessed she wished for the one thing she wanted more than anything else in the world. _Maybe, just maybe, it'll come true_, she hoped as she shifted her focus from the sky to her surroundings. They'd just turned onto The Esplanade and Jen peered over at Luna Park, all lit up, as they passed it. Simon's place and Ben and Morgan were almost in sight.


	26. Chapter 26: Wishing, Hoping and Planning

**Chapter 26: Wishing, hoping and planning.**

Darkness had really fallen around Simon's comfortable beachside residence now and Morgan found herself gazing out the window, as her brother and their babysitter continued to battle it out energetically with their controllers. Now that the worry of Rachael and Austin failing to return home had set in, video games were well off the young girl's radar. Even though, in reality, she and Ben had only been with their new parents for a short time, Morgan had felt safe the entire time they had been with them. And while she felt relatively the same way in the care of their rather cool new friend, Simon, Morgan's mind could not be completely at ease until she knew her mum and dad were safe. Fake, new, pretend – whatever title their guardians had had attached to them – it didn't mean a thing to Morgan. All that mattered to this young girl right there and then as she continued to look out into the night, was whether she was about to discover she'd lost two more people who meant a great deal to her. She knew wishing upon a star generally required one of the shooting varieties but Morgan figured she'd just have to make do as, with the brightest star she could muster form the night sky before her, she wished for Rachael and Austin to come home. If she'd had just one more wish, it would have been for neither of them to leave her or her brother - even just for a second - ever again.

Nick and Jen were now so close to their destination that they could almost see it. Jen felt relief but, at the same time, there was a lingering sense of apprehension at what, or rather _who_, the two of them were about to face. As they approached their final turn which would put them on Simon's street and only metres from his house, Nick slowed the car down, pulling in behind a parked car on the sidewalk and turning off the ignition. Jen didn't wonder why he'd stopped when, clearly, they hadn't quite reached Simon's place. Her and Nick had spent so much time working together undercover that she'd become accustomed to his way of thinking. Jen knew Nick enough to know that they'd stopped where they had to get it together; to get into the right headspace and voice their concerns before having to face any of what lay ahead.

Neither Jen, nor Nick, said anything for a good couple of minutes. They both had so many different thoughts running amok in their heads that they needed just that little bit time to sift through each one before any words could be spoken. Jen, sick of the silence and wanting to get this moment over and done with, spoke first – it felt like the words didn't even need assistance to fly out of her mouth. _Is my brain even connected to my mouth any more? _Sometimes it just felt as though all normal thought process had escaped Jennifer and she hated that she'd even considered that maybe Homicide wouldn't be such an easy readjustment if this operation went belly up. Nick just wanted the whole situation to end well for them both; Homicide was the furthest thing from his mind while they were in such a considerable amount of danger undercover. His main focus was getting the two of them out alive, because, the bottom line was; Nick Buchanan had such grand plans for a future with Jennifer Mapplethorpe. So grand these plans that they were half the reason his mind was so cluttered.


	27. Chapter 27: The Big Question

**Chapter 27: The big question.**

"I don't know how I'm going to do it, Nick. These kids have lost so much. In their minds, they've lost their parents, their friends, their _lives_. But we know this isn't entirely true." Jen knew Nick was going to remind her that they'd made a choice; they'd decided not to speak of Lisa Gregg in a way which even remotely suggested anything had changed. And she also knew that Morgan and Ben could not know their mother was alive – it was just too dangerous. Yet, she needed to say what she'd just spoken to him; she knew he'd listen, that he'd care and that he'd be honest with her no matter what it was she chose to say. It was times like these that Jen was especially grateful she had Nick, he made so much of a difference at times like these that words could not explain how fortunate she felt to be able to lean on him. He made a world of difference and Jen clung to his every word to get her through this - whether he knew it or not.

Nick knew Jen was still going over it all, mulling over everything that had happened upon Lisa Gregg's unexpected reappearance in their lives. His next words were simply, "I know. It's not going to be easy. But we've got each other. We can do it" and a little reassuring smile capped off exactly what Jen had needed to hear. _How does he do that? A few short sentences and I feel as though there might be a light at the end of this tunnel, that there might even be a bright future for us. _

Apart from his reassurance, Nick knew there was something else he ought to say. Something he didn't necessarily want to - for he knew it would dredge up some things Jen would rather not think about - but nevertheless, it was something he felt he needed to put out there. And Nick decided he wasn't going to put it off either. He looked Jen straight in the eyes as he told her, "I know it's not going to be easy but it just has to be this way. It'd be too risky for Ben or Morgan to know. Lisa Gregg even said it herself". After the last few words he'd spoken, Nick's gaze lingered unfalteringly on Jen, expecting some kind of instant reaction to what had been said. The two of them had spoken at as much length as possible about what had happened, though Nick knew there had been certain details Jen had chosen not to mention regarding Lisa's message. Nick wasn't going to force her to bring up anything she didn't want to but he knew she needed to talk about everything. And not only so she'd feel better in the process, but also so they could get to the bottom of the task at hand. Nick had secretly begun to form a plan for them both, too, and he had to be certain he had all the facts for it to be executed correctly. He wanted this operation to end well and for the four of them to be safe when it did. Nick knew Jen trusted him enough to tell him everything; he just had to get her to prove it.

The mention of Lisa Gregg had hit Jen with a large pang. Nick was right, she didn't want to have to think about Lisa's parting words, a message which was brief yet left both her and Nick's minds clouded with a heap of uncertainties. Thinking back, Lisa Gregg's warning wasn't what was bothering her, Jen was more worried about what Lisa had instructed, or rather, requested of her. Feeling as though Nick would have something further she wanted to hear in reply, Jen voiced her concerns to him - in the hope it would prompt a reply which was music to her ears. "Can we really do what Lisa Gregg has said she wants us to? It's a big ask, Nick". As she looked over at him, Jen realised Nick wasn't worried in the slightest – he wasn't showing the teensiest hint of apprehension or concern; his face was entirely calm.

What came from Nick's lips next, Jen hadn't been expecting quite so soon. The big question was, could she say yes?


	28. Chapter 28: Home Sweet Home

"Rachael! Austin!" Morgan hadn't felt this happy in a while, and it felt good. _Rachael and Austin are finally home – yay!_

Simon had been the one to open the door but he'd had to step aside to make room for an energetically cheerful Morgan, as she rushed forward to greet her favourite detectives. As her new mother and father figures stood there together, in her eyes looking much the same as they did when they'd left, Morgan felt more glad the two of them had come into her life than she would ever have thought possible. She didn't want either of them to leave again and it had taken their slight absence for her to realise it. The young girl's next words, spoken in the faintest of whispers as she wrapped her arms tightly around an appreciative Jen, were a simple "thank you" to no one in particular. She felt this to be absolutely necessary as whoever she'd asked to bring Rachael and Austin home safely had listened and, for that, Morgan was one happy kid. And so was Ben.

As Morgan continued to cling blissfully to Jen, her brother, who had raced over to the door behind her, thought he'd better warn Austin of something. He nodded his head in the direction of the hug, which continued, saying "brace yourself – you're next."

Nick smiled warmly at Ben, who smiled back, replying to his comment with "thanks for the heads up, champ." It wasn't his dad who'd just spoken to him, but Ben was really getting used to thinking of Austin as being his father. _I hope he sticks around. And Rachael too… Morgan's been happier since they've been with us – and so have I._

Just as Ben had finished thinking, Simon decided he'd better say something instead of just continue to stand there like he was invisible. Morgan had finally found the strength to let go of Jen, almost immediately launching herself at Austin who had been expecting it, thanks to Ben. Austin's hug hadn't been as lengthy as Jen's but Simon was grateful. Now that his old friends were, at last, free from the young girl's cuddling he had the perfect opportunity to speak to Rachael and Austin 'for the first time'. He stepped forward from where he had been standing, to one side of his front door, giving Jen a kiss on the cheek and saying "Good to have you home, Rachael – these kids of yours have been an absolute nightmare - shocking!" The comment had, of course, come complete with a wink and a cheeky smile aimed at both Ben and Morgan. The siblings, who now stood next to each other, facing the ex-homicide cop, smiled at their new friend's sarcasm before Jen proceeded to speak to her old friend. _It sure has been a while_, she thought as she replied with a warm, "It's good to be back, Simon. And it's good to see you too - it's been too long." Jen ended her sentence with a big smile, it really was good to see Simon – she'd definitely missed this quarter of the four musketeers.

Simon had missed Jen too. Leaving his colleagues and friends behind had made handing in his resignation a great deal harder than he would've liked. But it had been time for a change - time to leave behind a part of his life which had just gotten too much and which had started to take a lot out of him, mentally. And so, now, here he was - living within arm's length of St Kilda Beach, surfing almost every afternoon, not a care in the world. Life was good for Simon Joyner. Though he had to admit there were times when he did think about what it would be like if he hadn't left the old Simon behind, what it would be like if he were still in homicide. Though, usually, those thoughts would remind him of the people whose lives he'd walked out of when he'd placed that envelope on his boss' desk. So, for this reason, he tried hard not to think about homicide if he could manage it.

When Simon spoke, his reply was directed at both the detectives. He couldn't help but notice how much the two of them had changed as he said, "Yeah, it has definitely been way too long since I last saw you guys. You're looking good, Austin". Simon stepped forward to shake Nick's hand and as he did so, Morgan grabbed Jen by the arm and pulled her towards Simon's lounge room, Ben at her heels as she did.

The two men, and former homicide colleagues, were now the only ones who stood in the hallway near the front door – both wanting to say something but neither sure of an appropriate topic to bring up at that particular moment. In the end, it was Nick who'd thought of something to say first. "You haven't changed much" seemed the easiest to say out of all the possible topics of conversation Nick had had in mind. And it was true – despite looking less like a homicide detective, the man standing before him still came across as the Simon of old. He was still cheerful, still cheeky and still had a heap of brown curls in his hair. And Nick knew, even from the short time in which they'd been at his house that the kids had really come to like his former colleague. Nick felt stupid for even thinking the kids mightn't like being left in his company; they'd had a great time by the looks of it, and Nick was glad.

As the two men began to walk down the long hallway of the house towards the lounge room, Nick could see Morgan and Ben thumbing away at their control pads as they came to a halt in the doorway. The kids were giving it all they had in an attempt to prove to Jen who was the better virtual AFL player, having the time of their lives in the process. Nick grinned at how happy Jen looked as she cheered them on, congratulating each of them whenever they marked the ball or kicked a goal. _She'd make a fantastic mother_, he thought, as the brief but wonderful image he'd just had of the two of them as parents disappeared as quickly as it had come.

While the kids were still battling away for bragging rights and Jen continued to encourage them on, Nick turned to Simon and said "thanks, mate - I don't think these two could've been left in better hands" and he'd meant every word. Simon noticed that Nick had genuinely meant it too. It felt good to know that even though it'd been no hassle whatsoever for him to watch the kids while they were doing their job, that he – Simon Joyner had been helpful to two of his favourite friends. Two people he'd really missed since leaving homicide. He couldn't help but feel pleased with himself when he replied "Any time mate, they were no trouble at all – great kids", patting Nick on the shoulder as he did so. Over the noise of the competition which continued between Ben and Morgan, Simon added "you'd think they were really yours the way they spoke about you guys - you've really made an impression. You always were the dynamic duo, you two and it seems not just when it comes to being cops either." As he finished speaking, Nick couldn't help but wonder if Simon was on to something. _Is it that obvious there's something between Jen and I_? He pondered for a bit before he thought he'd better reply to that last comment and not let Simon get in first, or perhaps even put two and two together about what now existed between him and Jen. "They're good kids" said Nick, glancing over at the two of them as he said so, before his eyes drifted to Jen for a brief moment. _She's amazing at this. I always knew she would be... _Nick quickly snapped out of it; his thoughts were drifting eerily close to what had happened with Lily. He didn't want to go there - it was just too painful - and right now he was in a pretty happy place. Seeing how great Jen was at being a mother to these kids, kids who had endured so much recently, was enough to make anyone feel as happy and proud as Nick Buchanan did at that moment.

Simon wasn't going to let it rest though; he just couldn't seem to get over how clear it was that the kids had come to love Nick and Jen so quickly as he said quietly "You'd be amazed at how much you and Rachael came up in conversation – I can tell they really like you both, mate".

Nick had to really make an effort to hide his satisfaction at what Simon had said to him. Luckily for him, Morgan had just kicked a blinder of a goal against her brother, giving him the perfect excuse to smile anyway.


	29. Chapter 29: A new and exciting chapter

**Chapter 29: A new and exciting chapter**

"You still haven't given me an answer yet". It was the middle of the night. Nick and Jen lay in their bed which had become all too familiar to them during this latest stint undercover. Side by side, their shoulders and arms touching, hands entwined tightly where they rested under the covers. Both detectives had too much on their minds to get even a wink of sleep. It had been a long day.

Ben and Morgan hadn't protested in the slightest when it had been lights out a few hours earlier. Both had trudged to their rooms without a single complaint, sleep too obviously enveloping their beings for them to even try and hide it, so they didn't. Their time spent with Simon Joyner had proven exhausting as much as it had been plenty of fun for the siblings. And Nick was glad. Now that the children were in their rooms and fast asleep he and Jen finally had a chance to talk – in private. They now knew that SIS's surveillance had failed them. It wasn't even there to begin with. _So much for 'monitoring our safety' _thought Nick. _They hadn't so much as monitored the weather forecast. _

But fortunately, Nick and Jen decided they could beat SIS at their own game. They too had a plan to formulate but, conveniently, unlike their SIS counterparts, their plan wasn't faulty and, if all went smoothly, it was going to shorten their time undercover, not extend it. And the sooner this plan of theirs was in motion, the sooner the other chapters of his and Jen's lives could unfold. He was looking for an answer, just one answer in particular. And Nick Buchanan was hoping with all he had that it would be the answer he had been waiting a long time, indeed, to hear.

"I know". Jen knew she'd kept Nick waiting. And she really did feel bad about not being able to provide him with that all important answer when he'd first proposed to her. She'd known immediately what her answer would be, too. There was only one thing that had been holding her back from saying it to him right then and there. But it didn't matter because she was going to say it now. She couldn't keep it down for much longer – it needed to be said just as much as he had needed to hear it.

"Yes". As that one word had left her lips, Jen's face lit up. She couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled so widely. Not even at Nick, a person she found herself smiling at more often than not. But as wide as her grin had been, it was nothing compared to the one which had splattered all over the face of the man who had just been lying beside her, no longer holding just one hand but clasping two. Nick Buchanan had been so eagerly awaiting an answer, any answer at all and when he heard that particular reply, spoken in that voice he adored so much, he'd jumped up from where he lay on the bed and onto his knees. He'd taken both Jen's hands in his as she too had got on her knees, and they looked one another in the eyes. His - full of happiness, full of excitement and content. Hers had looked straight back - the smile, which had somehow spread even wider than ever, lighting up her eyes to display every ounce of joy overflowing inside her. Their noses now touching, the two detectives, struggling to contain their excitement, sealed the moment with a kiss – one they wouldn't forget even in a bed that wasn't really theirs.

Nick and Jen had started another chapter of their life together. But there were still many a journey they were yet to travel. So many chapters that were just blank pages, waiting to be written.


	30. Chapter 30: Wild Goose Chase

**Chapter 30: Wild Goose Chase.**

"We have to find Lisa Gregg". Jennifer Mapplethorpe hadn't been surer of anything else regarding their latest undercover stint. She was glad that Nick supported the idea, and that he'd said he would help her make it happen – she couldn't do it without him.

Nick had a sneaking suspicion that this is what Jen would eventually suggest they do. Even though Lisa Gregg herself had told her she was involved in the drug importation that had placed her family in so much danger, and warned Jen not to come after them, that the other parties involved were too dangerous, Jen knew it was the only way to put an end to this situation. And Nick did too. However dangerous it may prove to be, he'd decided, in the end, that Jen was right. So when he finally replied "I know" and rested his hand atop hers, where it rested on the bed beside him, Jen smiled, grateful that he understood that this needed to happen.

It was all Jen had been thinking about the past few days. It wasn't what someone who'd recently gotten engaged should have to worry about. But Jen's life wasn't like that of your average modern day woman's, and not until this second time undercover had ended could it even come close. There was only one problem that this thought lingering in Jen's mind brought with it – Nick and Jen didn't have the faintest idea where to start looking for Lisa Gregg. Jen had thought back to when she'd last seen her, when she'd been kidnapped and thought she was going to meet her grisly end. She'd gone over and over everything about that moment in her mind but the encounter had been so brief that she didn't think she could dissect any more details from it. Nick had even wracked his brains trying to come up with any solid leads as to Lisa's current whereabouts but he too had had no luck. It was only when, out of frustration, Nick started throwing questions at Jen, thinking it might help trigger her to remember something useful, that they finally started to make some progress.

When Nick asked – for what seemed like the hundredth time – "What was she wearing?" Jen didn't think it was going to help, but still she thought back and began listing the items of clothing she could remember Lisa Gregg having adorned. "A blue long-sleeved flannelette shirt and faded blue jeans, and she had a jumper of some sort tied around her waist". Jen was surprised that she'd remembered details about Lisa's attire, but somehow she'd managed to cement them firmly in her memory. Looking at Nick who was deep in thought, Jen wondered how knowing that she was wearing jeans was going to help point them in any direction, let alone Lisa Gregg's direction. She almost didn't want to bother answering Nick's next question, failing to see how it wasn't a pointless detail they where just wasting their time with.

"Her shoes", Nick spat. "Can you remember what shoes she was wearing?" Puzzled at why he'd asked this question, Jen hesitated, but since it was one she knew the answer to she replied "Boots, R.M Williams, I think. I can't be certain, they were covered in dirt, but I'm pretty sure they were work boots of some sort". Studying the look on Nick's face, it looked to Jen as though something had dawned on Nick. Before she could ask him exactly what he was thinking, Nick had gotten up off the bed where they'd sat and started running her through some thoughts that had been floating around in his head just seconds earlier.

"Do you remember last time we were undercover, when we were trying to find Mark and Eliza Jenkins' drug lab and we ended up at that old farm in the middle of whoop whoop, after we'd got an anonymous tip-off?" Nick had his thinking face on as he'd asked it, the words had come tumbling out and Jen knew he was on to something when she replied "How could I forget?" And that day was something Jen would definitely never forget. The two of them had turned up at an old farmhouse, hoping to find a barn full of drug making equipment with the drug makers possibly inside. Instead they ended up locating a big fat nothing. And to make matters worse, when they tried to leave they realised their car was bogged and after giving up trying to un-bog it, were forced to camp the night on the farm. Jen didn't think she could ever shake the memory of the foul stench of the barn they'd ended up sleeping in, or just how uncomfortable a substitute hay bales are for a mattress. She smiled at the thought of the two of them trying to get comfortable so they could get the sleep they'd needed that night, after the debacle with the bogged car. All she could think of was Nick lying next to her with bits of hay stuck in his hair. _Even then he'd looked a million dollars_ she thought, as Nick's voice made her snap out of her moment of reminiscence.

"The clothes Lisa was wearing, and the dirty boots, they're something you'd find on someone who spends a lot of time on a farm. It's a long shot, but maybe it's that same farm – maybe that's where Lisa is now. Maybe Mark and Eliza knew we were coming that day and managed to clear their drug lab out and make a run for it before we got there". Nick stopped speaking and looked into Jen's eyes, hoping that she'd say what he wanted to hear, that she'd agree that what he'd just said made complete and utter sense. But Jen had doubts – Nick had used a lot of maybes.

"It's a really long shot, Nick. How do we know we're not just going to wind up on a wild goose chase, like last time?" Jen wanted to believe that they weren't going to get all the way out to the farm and realise they'd wasted their time when they find nothing. But she wasn't sure if she could believe it.

Realising she needed more convincing, Nick thought he'd point out just how important it was for them to start doing something sooner rather than later – that even if it might not take them anywhere, they had to give this a shot. "Jen, I think it's worth the risk. Cameron and his SIS mates are going to be here in a week to fix up all the cameras. When that happens, we'll be under their watch for real and we'll have to play this by their rules, do what they say. And you and I both know that we can run this show better than they ever could." Nick's eyes now pleaded with Jen, they told her that this was one of those times where she needed to put a lot of trust in the man she loved.

Without further thought, simply knowing that trusting Nick was something she didn't have to think twice about, Jen decided he was right. They needed to give this a shot and they only had a week in which to do so. Hopping off the bed, she walked over to where he stood, placing her arms around his neck and looking him straight in the eyes, eyes which were still very much pleading with her. Nick had automatically wrapped his arms around her waist and patiently waited for Jen to say something – anything – he just needed to know what she was thinking. She didn't keep him waiting long before whispering "let's do this" in his ear.

Jen didn't know what they were going to find or even if they'd find anything at all, but what she did know was that she'd have the one person she she'd want beside her if they had to sleep in that smelly old barn on bales of hay again.


	31. Chapter 31: Look and You Shall Find

**Chapter 31: Look And You Shall Find**

Jen didn't know what had been harder – walking out the front door or saying goodbye to Ben and Morgan again. Both had been hard for different reasons, and both were things neither Jen, nor Nick, had really wanted to do. So, because it was their job as well as their responsibility as Austin and Rachel, the door had been pushed back into its frame and the kids had disappeared behind it. _We could be heading straight into a shit storm_. Jen reminded herself just who exactly she was heading into this possible shit storm with. All she could think then was _what shit storm?_ Because, truth be told, shit storms simply don't exist when Nick Buchanan's around.

It had been a long and uncertain journey out to the farm they were hoping they'd discover was Mark and Eliza Jenkins' hiding place. And not only Mark and Eliza's hiding place but also Lisa Gregg's. Nick's whim - that it would prove to be where they were stashing all their drug making equipment and where their new apprentice was helping them carry out their plans - was something Jen was relying on to be accurate. She trusted that he was right - as always.

As the car slowed, eventually coming to a stop on the side of the road, Jen suddenly felt extremely nervous. Nick, sensing how apprehensive she felt, placed a hand above her knee and looked straight into her eyes. "It's going to be okay. Trust me." His hand, now reaching for her jaw line, backed up what he'd just told her – that everything would be alright.

"I know, Nick. I do trust you. I just hope you're right. I hope we're in the right place." Before she could let out a much needed sigh, he'd leant in and kissed her, passionately, before saying the words she'd been dreading since they'd left. "Let's do this." And with that, Nick pulled away from the curb and they headed onward, towards what exactly they hadn't the faintest idea.

Standing outside the door of the barn, a barn which smelt eerily familiar to Jen, they both knew they weren't alone. They'd heard them inside, heard the unmistakeable sound of Lisa Gregg's voice, before hearing the low and mean drawls that belonged to Mark and Eliza Jenkins.

"Tell me I'm hearing things", said Jen, in a shaky whisper that was barely audible. Her eyes were fixed upon Nick's face; her expression was silently begging him not to say the words she didn't want to hear. She braced herself before Nick confirmed the worst.

"You're not hearing things. They're in there, all four of them." Nick's words had the effect of a hundred fingernails being scraped down a blackboard.

"Four?" Jen couldn't believe her ears. She was so shocked that she'd forgotten to lower her voice and the word had come out a little louder than she would've liked in a situation like the one they were in. "Don't you mean three? Mark, Eliza and Lisa?" She again stared into his eyes, hoping that he wasn't going to tell her something dreadful. But, yet again, he did.

"No, four. Mark, Eliza, Lisa and Paul. It seems that _both_ Ben and Morgan's parents are still alive." It was harder to say who looked more terrified at Nick's words – Nick or Jen. As more noise came from inside the barn the two detectives plastered their ears to the door to listen. They didn't even have to strain to hear what was being said inside. Lisa Gregg was yelling, pleading with Mark Jenkins.

"Please. Please, don't hurt our children. They don't deserve to be dragged further into this mess than they already are. Kill me if you have to kill anyone, just don't hurt them!" And before Nick or Jen had a chance to formulate a plan there were gunshots. Not just one, but two. Then laughter.

Nick looked at Jen and tilted his head to the left, gesturing for Jen to follow him to a side entrance of the barn. He had no idea what they were going to do, but he knew it wasn't safe for them to stay near the door it was likely Mark and Eliza would exit from.

When they got to the side entrance they sat on the ground by the door, hoping to hear more conversation from inside but it seemed all had gone quiet. Jen couldn't hold it all in anymore, she'd started trembling as she remembered Lisa's pleading and the two ominous gunshots that followed. Her heart ached for Ben and Morgan who were completely unaware that, up until a few minutes ago, they still had parents. Her trembling turned into silent sobs before one solitary tear slid down her cheek. At that moment Jen didn't know what was sadder – that she and Nick would never be able to have a child of their own or that Lisa and Paul would never be able to see their children again. She fell into Nick's shoulder at the thought, every inch of her glad she had him to lean on at a time like this.

"You okay?" Jen had leant on Nick's shoulder for as long as it was possible. Her sobs had continued and her emotions had run wild. They'd had to move after they heard movement from inside, followed by hushed voices.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just sad, that's all." That was only half true, of course. Jen had been sad for Ben and Morgan, sad for their parents, but she was also heartbroken. And what was bugging her was why she'd been heartbroken at that particular moment. She'd known that she'd never have children for ages and it wasn't something she'd cried about in a long time.

Nick had a feeling that something else was up but decided now wasn't the time to probe Jen about it, especially since he'd just thought of a plan to corner Mark and Eliza. "We'd better get moving. I've just thought of a way for us to get in there unnoticed." Nick had expected Jen to be terrified at those words but her face suggested no signs of fear. The look on her face was one that oozed determination. Jen wanted to get revenge – for Ben and Morgan.

"Let's do this." Jen said the words like she was a woman on a mission.

All Nick could think was _man, that was hot!_


End file.
